DAVID 



AND 





ifi^^jfi^ r?roi?fr|i!> 





Class o S~o -^ ^ 

Rook Jl.r .^ 



Copyright N°_ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSnV 



DAVID DICKSON'S 

AND 

JAMES M. SMITH'S 

FARMING 




BY 



DAVID DICKSON 



AND 



JAMES M. SMITH 



COPYRIGHT 1908, COPYRIGHT 1910 

BY 

THE CULTIVATOR PUBLISHING COMPANY 

ATLANTA. GEORGIA 





Ic (^ c^^^^ 



^^-^ 



CCI.A^65(>52 



CONTENTS: 



Page 

David Dickson, His Wonderful Success 15 

Introduction — 

Agriculture as an Applied Science 25 

Teaching Labor to be More Effective 30 

Importance of Informing Your Minds 35 

The Farm 40 

General Treatment of Lands 44 

Fertilization of rSoils and Crops 52 

Organic and Inorganic Manures < 1 

Breaking Lands 86 

Cultivation of Crops 95 

The Cultivation of Corn 100 

The Cultivation of Cotton Ill 

Growing Wheat 129 

Potatoes, Turnips and Vegetables 136 

Fruit Culture and Care of Stock 145 

On Immigration 163 

Best Extracts from the Writing of Dickson 182 

Sketch of James M. Smith — 

Introductory Remarks 197 

History ana Start in Life 201 

Accumulations and Annual Crops 204 

Specit.1 Crops and Profits 208 

Key to His Success and How He Managed Labor 213 

Convicts, and Treatment of Labor 216 

Lessons of His Career 218 

Waste on the Farm 221 

Why a Young Man rShould Choose Farming i;32 

Wise Sayings of James M. Smith 241 

Facts About Fertilizer Material 244 

Fertilizer Formulae , . ■ • • 348 



Preface to Revised Edition 

DAVID DIXON'S AND JAMES M. SMITHS 
FARMING. 

We are very grateful for the favor that our first edition 
of ''David Dickson's System of Farming" met with at our 
patrons' hands. The two thousand vohunes were soon 
taken. 

The writings of David Dickson form the fundamental 
basis of successful farming in the South. ISTo ■^vriter will 
ever say better much that he has said, and his writings are 
worthy of all the attention they have received or may re- 
ceive at our farmers' hands. 

But we dislike to publish pauijddets. We think so 
valuable a contribution to our Agricultural literature is 
worthy of book form. So, in casting about for more 
material with which to enlarge our second edition, it 
occurred to us that it would be a happy idea to add some- 
thing concerning the life and success of James M. Smith, 
Georgia's present King of Farmers. 

It was our desire to get a series of articles written espe- 
cially for this book, but Mr. Smith was so engrossed with 
the pressure of business, that he could not spare the time ; 
so instead we were compelled to give a few chapters writ- 
ten by our Mr. F. G. Hunnicutt, wath an article or two 
from Mr. Smith's pen. 

However small the scale of operation, or poor the farm- 



14 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

er, all should, and do, crave success. To gain this in 
any measure, we should profit by the career of the success- 
ful farmers who precede us. 

The two men whose experience is given in this volume 
have made a signal success, each one amassing a fortune 
of over two million of dollars, and neither lived in a fer- 
tile section, but one on poor, sandy lands and the other on 
the red hills of Georgia. So we can but say in all kind- 
ness that poor and perverted indeed is the mind that can 
not receive great benefit from perusing this volume, and 
we send it out with confidence that it will meet with a cor- 
dial reception at the hands of our reading Southern farm- 
ers. 



PREFACE 

DAVID DICKSON 

His Great and Wonderful Success as a Farmer. 

Mr. Dickson was reared on a farm, and while vet a 
ploiigh-boy conceived the principles of agriculture that 
now distinguish the system of farming which has immor- 
talized his name, and brought him not only fame but for- 
tune. While ploughing and hoeing corn, in his boyhood, 
it occurred to him that that method of cultivating was 
wrong. He says, "while ploughing — cutting the roots of 
plants— I could see the effect of hot days behind me in 
less than thirty minutes, and it would continue for days 
to damage the crops, more or less, according to after sea- 
sons. Even with the hoe, digging round the corn, and 
hilling up, I could see the com wilt at once, in hot and dry 
weather; and the corn would fire more or less, and some- 
times be thus prevented from silking well. How was this 
to be prevented ? I formed my opinion then, and put it in 
practice as soon as I conunenced planting." Again he 
says, "I saw new land full of mold never baked, was al- 
ways easily worked, and would stand a long drougth and a 
heavy wet spell. The conclusion was, to keep all land in 
the virgin state, as near as' possible. How was this to be 
done ?" 

The reader will notice that these observations and in- 
quiries struck at the very foundations of agriculture. His 



16 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

close duty to nature had detected a fundamental error, and 
his genius readily devised the remedy. 

When, years afterwards, Mr. Dickson had determined 
to invest his 'all in farming, so strong was his faith in 
the truth of the convictions of his youth upon these agri- 
cultural subjects, that he adopted them in his practice, 
discarding the old stereotyped system of farming as errone- 
ous. In developing the principle of his newly-conceived 
system, and reducing it to practice, he found that one 
preparation of land was all-sufficient for each crop ; that 
the lands would be improved, would produce double the 
crop per acre; and that a hand could cultivate fifty per 
cent, more acres, and obtain more than five times the usual 
dividends. 

At twenty-one years of age, Mr. Dickson started out 
with $1,200. By merchandising and trading, he made 
$25,000 in fourteen years. At this period (1845) he in- 
vested all his means in lands, negroes, stock and agricul- 
tural utensils', 'and commenced farming. He purchased 
two hundred and sixty-six acres of land, for which he 
paid from $1 to $2' per acre, and for some as low as 50 
cents per acre. Lands, under his system and success, con- 
tinued to rise in price until 1860, when he paid $18 per 
acre for the last. The average $7 per acre. This land 
had been producing four bushels' of corn per acre, and two 
hundred pounds of seed cotton. On beginning to plant 
he followed his own peculiar notions, putting in practice 
the conceptions of his boyhood; and these constitute the 
guiding principles of the Dickson system of farming to- 
day. These early impressions have been verified by ex- 
perience, and thoroughly demonstrated by successful re- 



EEiFACE. 



11 



suits. He says his crops were fine from the very first, and 
that he never failed to make a good average crop, no mat- 
ter what the season. 

The reader will observe that Mr. Dickson's first crop 
was a success ; and that, at that time, guano had not been 
introduced. This' fact tends to correct the impression that 
his success in farming has been attributable alone 
to the liberal use of "ammonia" — ^in other words, to the 
employment of guanos. We know that he did not use 
much guano until 1857. Yet his crops were "fine" and 
paid good dividends ! What does this show ? Clearly, 
that most of his success' as a farmer has been due to his 
peculiar method of treating his lands, and cultivating his 
crops', and not materally to his feeding his crops with 
ammonia, superphosphate, potash, land plaster and salt. 
The principles of cultivation, in his system, are essentially 
different from the popular system of agriculture, and to 
this system, as a whole, conjoined with Mr. Dickson's na- 
tive genius and extraordinary executive ability must we at- 
tribute his success. Peruvian guano, or even "Dickson's 
Compound," used according to tlie common plan of farm- 
ing, would not produce half such results. The "magic" 
is to be found in the way it is used, and the general policy 
of treating and cultivating the lands. It is a great mis- 
take to say that guano has made Mr. Dickson. The fact 
is, Mr. Dickson helped to make the guano market. Native 
genius, good judgment, his study of nature and her laws, 
and their application to agriculture, have made Mr. Dick- 
son. True, guano has been a potent agency in his 
hand, but it has paid better with him than it has Avith 
nine-tenths of the planters, because he has used it 



18 Dickson's and Smith's Fakming. 

ill accordance with the principles of rational agri- 
culture. But the liberal use of fertilizers constitutes an 
important ingredient in his system of farming. Guano 
has paid him, while it has proved worthless with many who 
have not employed it with a proper system of cultivation. 
Mr. Dickson's system must be taken as a whole, and in cal- 
culating his results, guano must come in only for a part 
of the credit. Mr. Dickson had planted nine years before 
he used guano to its full extent, (200 to 250 pounds to 
the acre), and yet his crops were good. 

In 1846, the second year of Mr. Dickson's planting, 
he made his first trial of guano. "I saw," he says, "an 
advertisement in the 'American Farmer,' Baltimore, of the 
wonderful effects of Peruvian guano. I procured three 
sacks, and used it, and finding it paid, used it in increased 
quantities, till 1855 or 1856, and then went in to it fully." 
Very soon after this Mr. Dickson commenced having bones 
prepared with acid, according to English farming, fur- 
nishing what we now use as "dissolved bones." This he 
combined with Peruvian guano, and ultimately he added 
land plaster, salt and potash. This combination was a 
result of a great deal of experimenting witE all kinds of 
guanos, and, as the reader knows, it is now his favorite 
"compound." 

The reader will notice subsequently an experiment with 
this compound and the result. With $17 worth per acre, 
the crop was three thousand pounds per acre the field over, 
equivalent to two bales, which, at the market value at that 
time, was worth $250. A part of this tract produced 
6,000 pounds of seed cotton per acre. 

Again, there will be found an experiment showing the 



Preface. 19 

great advantages of using the whole compound — the bene- 
ficial effect of the addition of land plaster and salt to 
Peruvian guano and dissolved bones. This formula was 
l)roduced by Mr. Dickson, and was the result of a vast 
amount of experimenting with all kinds of guano, and 
is as near perfect as uumure can be made. 

With this mixture, together with his impi'oved system 
of farming, Mr. Dickson has produced those "fabulous" 
results with which he is accredited. Before the war, his 
crops averaged him from ten to fourteen bales cotton per 
h.and, and nearly one bale per acre, besides an abundance 
of corn, fodder, bacon, etc. lie raised enough bacon and 
grain to pay for two-thirds of his guano. He cultivated 
and gathered fifty acres to the hand — 16^A in cotton, 16% 
in corn and I'i^/j iu small grain, or as near that division as 
];racticable. Such was his economy of labor, and his system 
nf management, that a visitor might ride thrniigh his farm 
without seeing a weed or a bunch of grass in his crop. His 
hands' would gather — some of them 3 bales of cotton per 
week, and m^nny of them two l^ales, during the favorable 
])art of the season. C^orn and fodder were always stored 
around him in abundance. I have seen much of his crop 
for the last three years, and have not seen many acr(^s in 
any of these crops that T estimated at less than one bale 
to the acre. True, the crops that I saw were on the best 
part of his' farm, and received the most of his attention. 
I saw a field of his last fall planted in June, that had four- 
teen hundred pounds of cotton to the acre. Mr. Dickson 
says that last vear (ISO*)) was the driest and hutti^st year 
he ever saw ; that he had but one rain during the summer, 
and that in August. And yet he made a good average crop. 



20 Dickson's and Smith's Fak^xiing. 

T saw his crop in November, and consequently know what 
I say. He made last year — that is, all his tenants, black 
and white — ^between seven and eight hundred bales of cot- 
ton. These facts verify what Mr. Dickson claims for his 
system of farming — that good crops can be made with the 
least rain that can fall any summer, and that if the work 
is properly and thoroughly done, there need be no such 
thing as a failure. The many reports made by visitors' 
and correspondents, as to Mr. Dickson's crops, are sub- 
stantially true. He has had unprecedented success dur- 
ing his whole farming career, without a single failure, and 
still sustains his repuutation by producing larger and still 
larger crops. He has no successful rival as a planter ; and 
it may truly be said of him, "he stands at the head of his 
profession." 

He once bought a plantation, with the negroes, stock 
and every thing on it, and paid for the whole with one 
crop. He did not visit the place but once a month, had 
the same number of hands and paid all charges. In 1859, 
Mr. Dickson, with fifty-six hands, made and gathered six 
hundred and sixty-seven bales of cotton, besides one hun- 
dred dollars' worth per hand of bacon, corn, etc. 

So successful was Mr. Dickson in making money by 
farming, that his little plantation of two hundred and six- 
ty-six acres rapidly extended its area, and now, in the 
language of a correspondent, "he owns the domain of a 
prince." Wlien the war began, his property was worth 
by fair estimate $500,000, clear of all encumbrance. This 
he had made in fifteen years by farming, with a capital of 
$25,000 to start with. ISTot a dollar had been made out- 
side of his farm. Here is a striking contrast between the 



Preface. 21 

profits of trade and merchandise and farming. It took 
him fourteen years at a trade to make $25,000 ; but dur- 
ing the fifteen years succeeding, he accumulated $500,000 
by farming — not counting four hundred bales of cotton, 
and a large supply of bacon, and grain, given to the Con- 
federate Government, and burnt by Sherman in 1864. He 
delivered to the Confederate Government four hundred 
bales of cotton, for which he got bonds which were never 
paid ; and after the first year of the war he planted no 
cotton, but raised provisions for the army, and for most 
of which he received no pay, not even in Confederate 
money. General Sherman Wrned four hundred bales 
of cotton, took all his stock, and a large amount of pro- 
vision. Pie owned two hundred and fifty (250) select 
negroes, which were worth fifty per cent, more than the 
average of negroes. 

Since the war, Mr. Dickson has been planting cautious- 
ly, "not caring to save money till we had a Government 
that wouhl protect us in person and in property." He 
says his crops have been fair, but his dividends less than 
])efore the war, because of bad labor, stealage, killing stock, 
etc. He is now working on the tenant system, and is 
again making his nine hundred bales of cotton, including 
his Texas' crop, and declaring good dividends. Pie uses 
the "Compound" exclusively for all crops, and plants the 
"Dickson Cotton." He owns thirty thousand acres of 
land, and a good deal of railroad and company stock, be- 
sides his ]ibintation stock, farming implements, etc., 
amounting in the aggregate to not much loss than half a 
million dollars. Add to this amount his losses from the 
war, and the emancipation of his slaves, which he says 



22 DicKsox's A.\i) Smith's FAK.\rrxG. 

were "worth '$300,000," and the reader can a])proximate 
wliat would have l>een Mr. Dickson's wealth, as the profits 
of twenty-five years' fariniiiii-, on a capital of tw(>nty-fiv6 
thousand dollars — losing- near five years of this time, for 
during' the war he planted no cotton, hut raised provision 
crops for the Government. 

Estimating all these losses, who can say that Mr. Dick- 
son woiiM not have l)"e)i worth ;;.-]:!y on:' million <lo]- 
lars hnt fur that nntorlroKitc war that swe]it away his 
earnings ? 

^Tr. Dickson has always lived well, entertaining a great 
deal of company in sniii])tnons style, and allowed himself 
every comfort and luxury that heart could desire. He 
has devoted more than half his time, 'since he has been 
farming, to his ^•isitiug• friends, who, attracted hy his fame 
as a phint(U'. came from all parts of the Unit^d• States to 
see his farm, and ohtain infornmtion in regard to his 
system of agriculture. lie has ridden with them thou- 
sands of miles and through all kinds of weather and writ- 
ten and read no telling how many wagon loads of letters, 
l.csidcs his contrihutions to the agricultural journals. 

Having an innate fondness for agriculture, Mr. Dickson 
gave himself to its study with all the zeal of a devotee, 
;iiul wonhl have given if all the energies of his intellect, 
hut foi" the diversion occasioned hy constant int(M'ru]itions 
and taxes n])on his time. fu estimating the sum total of 
his success in his agricultural pursuits, a large snm must 
he placed to his credit for this loss of time. For many 
years past, not a mail, jierhaps, that does not bring him 
from a dozen to several dozen letters, to be read and an- 
swered on the subject of agriculture. True, he is de- 



Preface. 2-3 

lighted to see them come, and often invites company; yet, 
ihc att( iit'.diis thus ncf'ossarily (h'vot; d (irct'slun neiileet 
of his' business, and lessen his products. 

Very many persons think that Mr. Dickson's reports 
as to lari>e cro])s are taken from his fancy bran;- ])atclu's, 
and that his general cro]) does not correspond. This is un- 
c-haritable, as well as untrue. He claims credit for his 
general results' — so much corn and cotton per hand. Like 
a general in the army, he operates from his headquarters 
at home. His farm consists of many little farms, which 
lie seldom visits. He furnishes the implements and ma- 
terial, and gives direction; but the execution of the work 
iv. entrusted entirely to the lal>orers, having no overseers 
or superintendents; nor lia<l he ever occasion for them 
even in slavery times, except on one place. It is evident, 
llien, that Mr. Dickson's success has been attributable to 
the advantage of his system of farming, together with his 
general policy and management. He has' been richly re- 
warded for his zeal and research in the study of agricul- 
ture; and the reason that so few people approach him in 
his results is, they do not follow his teachings, or his prac- 
lice. Success depends upon the adoption of his system 
:is a whole. Guano alone is' not the "potent charm;" 
neither is derp breaking of land, or subsoiling, or surface 
culture, or rotation of crops; but all these ttgencies must 
lie taken in combination. The neglect of one may para- 
lyze the whole. This system is drawn from the study of 
nature's laws, and not one of its precepts may be safely 
violated. Manv who undertake to follow the Dickson plan 
of farming do it onlv in ])art, anil conscquentlv the failure. 
Its beauty and strength consists in the union of its parts. 



24 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

Adhere rigidly to the principle, and carry out in practice. 
Study it as a system — as a whole. Execute it with tact 
and judgment, and confidently expect results approaching 
the success that has rewarded the labors of Mr. Dickson. 

The dividends of stocks constitute the true test of their 
value^ — so the crops, and clear profits, are the tests, and 
indicate the practical value, of any system of farming. Is 
it not wonderful — not to say incredible — that in the poor- 
est parts of Hancock County, Ga., a man can take $25,000, 
and double it twenty times in fifteen years ? And yet it 
iir- true with Mr. Dickson. He has done that, and during 
the time has used, for his own household expenses, during 
the whole time, fully seven per cent, on the $25,000 ; and 
has not invested a dollar in trade or any speculation diir- 
iug the time ! The people of Hancock County will vouch 
for the truth of this statement. I state these facts' that 
they may encourage young men to effort and enterprise, 
and demonstrate to them that farming, as a vocation, can 
he made lucrative; for it is certainly true, what has been 
accomplished by one may be accomplished again by others ! 
Mr. Dickson's success as a farmer seems' really beyond 
comprehension. 

Editor of Cultivator. 

1870. 



INTRODUCTION 



Agriculture as an Applied SciEiJsrcE. 

Agricultural science comprises a knowledge of soils, 
their general properties, class and chemical composition; 
also the natural history of plants, their habits, wants, 
physiology of assimilation, growth, reproduction, etc. It 
also involves the study of the atmospheric air and water, 
the two great vitalizing elements of both animal and vege- 
table life. These with the natural laws governing these 
elements, and their mutual relations and influences in the 
growth of crops, constitute the basis of agricultural science ; 
and practical familiarity with all these subjects, as applied 
to farming, is essential to intelligent agriculture. 

How can the cultivator be expected to know the impor- 
tance of breaking, subsoiling and cultivating lands for 
the production of crops when he knows nothing as to the 
chemical composition of the air, and the vitalizing effects 
iv has' upon growing crops ? How could he conceive of the 
importance of husbanding the spring rains, and storing 
away a bountiful supply for the summer crops, without 
the knowledge of the chemical and material value of rain- 
water in bringing to the soil ammonia, carbonic acid, and 
other fertilizing gases from the atmosphere, and its ac- 
tive agency in dissolving the organic and mineral sub- 
stances of the soil, and thus making them assimilable as 
plant food ? Eains are not alone important for moisten- 
ing and softening and mellowing the soil so as to allow 
the crop roots to readily traverse and penetrate, but equally 
important in a chemical and philosophical sense. Hence, 



26 DicKsoi\''s AND S:\riTH's FAK:\rixG. 

agricultural science teaches the practical importance of 
deep, mellow soil, calculated to hold and retain sufficiency 
of moisture for the crops during their season of growth 
and maturity. Upon the same l)asis must be placed the 
application of manures to soils and fertilizers to crops. 
How can the farmer intelligently compost his manures, 
or select fertilizers for his crops, when he knows nothing 
as to the chemical composition of soil, or the organic con- 
stituents of crops to be grown upon it, and hence knows 
not the chemical wants of his crop ? If the cultivator 
knows nothing as to the design of nature in putting forth 
roots and fibrils to every plant, how can he be expected to 
intelligently decide as to comparative benefit or injury 
resulting from deep or shallow culture? How can he cal- 
culate the extent of damage he is doing his growing crops 
by rudely invading the soil that has been allotted to them, 
and cutting off the roots — through which, alone, the crops 
reach and utilize the soil . for supjiort and growth ? He 
knows not that he is violating the laws of nature by inter- 
rupting a process which nature has instinctively designed 
for the benefit of this growing plant ? 

Science teaches what are the real objects of cultivation. 
Destroying the grass and weeds, and thus' saving the en- 
tire strength of the soil for the planted crop, and so break- 
ing the surface soil as to admit the atmospheric air in the 
soil b^neatli, as a nutrient and vitalizer. D-^ep culture 
also effects both of these objects, but no more efficiently 
than the sweep culture, and with the decided disadvantage 
of tearing off the plant-roots', and thus depriving the crops 
of their main agents and source of support, which stunts 
and cripples the plants and absolutely foils the designs of 



Introduction. 27 

nature, and seriously injures instead of benefiting the crop. 
Xature does no superfluous work. She puts forth to her 
plants' no supernumerary root or rootlet, not absolutely 
needed by the plant for its growth and development. Hence, 
by deep culture and root-cutting we violate the laws of 
nature. Science clearly teaches its agriculturist the im- 
portance of strictly conforming to and fostering the de- 
signs of nature, and it plainly teaches the policy of con- 
serving and utilizing not only the shower and the sunshine, 
but every available element and agency. 

By the teachings of agricultural science, the planter can 
intelligently compost his manure heaps, and select his fer- 
tilizers for his several crops, according to the soil he cul- 
tivates; and such discriminate selecrion i-^ not only ini])or- 
tant to the gi'owth of the weed, but to the final develop- 
ment and fruitage of the crop. It points out rational 
i!;etliods of culture, and general treatment of each indi- 
vidual crop, by furnishing from its natural history the 
special and peculiar nature and development of each in- 
dividual class of crops. For instance, cotton is shown 
to be a sun plant, and especially adapted to a certain lati- 
tude, where it grows and matures' more perfectly and is 
comparatively exempt from pests and casualties. This 
favorite licit is known to be in latitude 30 to 34 degrees. 
The evidence of its' being a sun plant is iseen in the fact 
that, as soon as the sun rises, the cotton plant holds out 
the broadest surfaces of its leaves to the sun, and continues 
growing till killed by the frost. Its habit is to elaborate 
the food, return it to the squares' and bolls, and thus ma- 
ture the fruit rapidly so as to escape the wonn and frost. 
Science also teaches from this same peculiar habit of cot- 



28 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

ton, that, to mature the greatest quantity of it before the 
frost comes, or other casualties attack it, it must be planted 
thickly in the drill, in order that the fruitage may be 
hastened. 

From the same teachings, corn is' known to be an annual, 
delighting in a latitude higher than cotton ; and that the 
liigher the latitude in which it will certainly mature, the 
hirger the yield per acre — everything else being equal, 
l^nlike cotton, it begins elaborating substances for the grain 
at once, and returns it to the storehouse in the center of 
the stalk to be brought out at the proper time of shooting, 
and maturing the ear. 

This point of natural history teaches us to give the 
stalks good distance instead of planting it thick as we do 
cotton. If there should not be enough soluble matter for 
two stalks the result would be no ear, or a very small nub- 
bin. If there be only one stalk left, and there be enough 
soluble matter in the place allotted to that stalk to make 
two ears, the one stalk will absorb and appropriate it all and 
even more, and the one stalk will make from two to four 
ears of corn. Another important scientific fact connected 
with com culture is that, when given good distance — so 
many square yards to each stalk^ — it will make a larger 
crop in a dry year ; and, if seasonable, a single stalk will 
always be double-eared, provided the soil be fertile and in 
good heart. The higher the latitude, the thicker the corn 
may be planted, but even then it can be over seeded ; such 
facts indicate, and fexperienc© should determine Iw-hat 
should be the distance given this crop, never to exceed the 
number of stalks' sufficient to give the yield which you be- 
lieve the land ought to make. 



Introduction. 29 

As thus seen, agricultural science is based entirely upon 
natural laws. From nine-tenths tio nineteen-twentieths 
of all the substances that sustain animal and vegetable 
life, and build up bodies, come from the atmosphere ; and 
hence the lesson taught us bj science, to so treat, prepare 
and cultivate lands as to utilize this element to the great- 
est possible extent for the benefit of growing crops. The 
more or less efficient execution of these lessons of science, 
as applied to the treatment and keeping up of lands, the 
recuperation of exhausted and the enrichment of poor and 
unproductive lands, will constitute the triumph of science, 
allied with administrative genius, in attaining results 
worthy the name of successful farming. 

The great object of study and practice is to know how 
to utilize the atmosphere, and to work up the manures 
into the soil. We have but few text-books on this subject. 
We have to begin almost at the beginning. When these 
subjects are reduced to practice, and written out in the 
form of text-books, the study of agriculture as a science 
will be comparatively an easy one; but under no circum- 
stances will the work ever be performed with success un- 
less with preparation by the planter, and study of all the 
laws, practices and arts, times and mode of cultivation. 
One object should be to utilize water, and to make the 
greatest yield from the least water; and there never has 
been a year when there was not water enough to make fair 
crops, provided the cultivation was done with care and 
science. I believe the cultivation of corn can be carried 
to such a point, that you can make a full crop with two 
good seasons. 



30 DicKsox's AXD S^riTiTs FAinrixG. 



Teaching Labor to be Moke Ei<KECTivE. 

No system can prosper without teaching all the opera- 
tives and laborers to be experts, whether agricultural or 
manufacturing, or anything that is done requiring labor. 
The first thing to do, in regard to any of the operations of 
labor, is to teach the laborers how to do it; the next thing, 
to do it with more ease and efficiency, aud to learn to do 
better work every day. For instance, take a boll of cotton. 
They must be taught, with the greatest speed, how to 
throw the hand into the boll, and pull out all of the cot- 
ton with one lick, not waiting to see wdiether any is left 
in the boll or not, always having in mind to strike out one 
lick at the boll, and as soon as that is done, to strike at 
another boll. I have, in five minutes, taught a hand to 
pick oue hundred pounds more of cotton per day than he 
had picked on the previous day, and from that point he 
will continue to improve. The greatest etficiency I have 
obtained in hands picking cotton was eight hundred 
pounds — rcqual to more than three good bales a week. 

The same improvement can be made in other species of 
labor on the farm. One hand will plough so as to fatten 
his horse, doing a full, good day's work ; while another 
hand will do inferior work, hardly so uiuch as the other 
hand, and reduce his horse to poverty. A hand using a 
sweep or ]dough can arriv at such ciHrirn! 'v [h'lt he can 
(h^ the jiloughing and hoeing aud go his sixteen aud two- 
thirds miles per day, which is a day's work. This is my 
practice, not having to put a lioe in the corn field, and 
having had the cleanest crops in the neighborhood. 



Intkoduction. 31 

The same efficiency mny lie acquired witli the axe. Quick 
motion ; throw the axe with the proper spring and line, so 
as to go jm cisely to the line, Avith a sleight that will knock 
out the clii]). 

The same thing with the maul and wedge. One man 
will make rails with less than half the lahor another does. 
If a lahorer wjll watch these experts, and do as they do, he 
will effect the same results. 

With the hoe, some hands will chop and motion a dozen 
times at a ])nncli of grass'; an ex]iert will keep his hoe 
sharp, and ])idl it through tlie row, leaving everything 
clean hehind, and can striki any time to the sixteenth of 
an inch of the ]dace he wishes. 

The same thing is true of the hewer using a broad-axe. 
One will strike a dozen licks to get t(t'the line, the last 
one will probably go through the line into the timber. 
7'he expert, with his improved eye and motions, strikes 
lo n hair's breadth the tirst lick of where the line slmuld 
h'\ and carries it e(puilly through to the bottom of the ti'm- 
l."r, doing from two tn three times the work of the botch 
]ier day. 

Still more true is it when you set experts to manufactur- 
ing, making shoes, or tending machinery of any kind. One 
I jierative in a factory will draw three or four threads 
while anotluM' will di'aw only one, or will attend to four 
loDnis while another will attend to but two. 

Theije is a great difference also with wagoners, one 
requiring double the time to gear his team that another 
does, fumbling around his team, hunting up things to do, 
and so losing two or three loads on the plantation in a day 



32 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

v/ith a six-horse team, and losing enough to pay for three 
experts per day. 

The same improvements may be made in art and execu- 
tion in using plantation machinery and gearing that can 
be made in any other profession and art. 

I)ui'iiii>' hist year 1 luarntMl some valuable new lessons. 
One was the training of hands to do double the amount 
of work, with more ease, and less' of sweat and muscle. My 
former hands, being better trained than others, had better 
offers than I could give, and nine-tenths of them left me. 
I then employed hands from as many as forty plantations, 
and got none that knew how to work to any advantage. 
I had hands before the war that could pick eight hundred 
pounds of cotton in a day, all by daylight; and all hands 
that went to the fields averaged three hundred pounds per 
day, without any white man in the field. 

In my system of deep preparation, thorough manuring, 
and surface culture, the results depend altogether on the 
time and judgment when to work, where to work, and the 
style of the work. To be successful, and to pay dividends, 
jou must do the greatest quantity of the work with the 
least labor. That art is acquired by study and practice. 
To attain it, you must approach the perfectness of a jug- 
gler, or sleight-of-hand man. With a peculiar sleight, one 
man will throw an axe into a piece of timber, with half 
the force of another, and with the same or better result. 
It is' absolutely necessary to come to time. All the opera- 
tions should move at once ; this is just as essential as it is 
for a team of mules in a wagon. To perform all these 
things successfully, you must have absolute control over 
the laborer. Every farmer should teach this art to his 



Introduction. 33 

laborers. If the farm hands on one plantation only learn 
this, they will always be offered inducements by other plan- 
ters to leave. The hands on the place should be taught 
to do every kind of work with facility and ease. Nothing 
pays so well in hoeing as to get every sprig of grass. Ta- 
king up a bunch of grass injures a crop of cotton equal to 
bad ploughing, if not perfectly done. 

The science of agriculture is soon learned, and is of in- 
calculable importance ; but nothing to compare with the 
execution of details. Many of the Confederate generals 
of the late war had the same military education and book 
training as General Lee; but none of them came near ex- 
ecuting as he did. Two planters may have the same knowl- 
edge of planting, while in executing, one will get rich, and 
the other break, though thinking they were operating upon 
the same system of farming. 

To enumerate, in brief, a few of the mottoes of suc- 
cess in farming, I would say: Always come to time, and 
Iceep a little ahea<l, and the work will be easy. Do the 
winter work in the winter, and the spring work in the 
spring, and do it well. Cultivate a little ahead of time. 
Gather as soon as crops are ready. The most important 
part is the judgment when to plant, and how and where to 
work, and with what tools, and what part of the crop to 
work. 

In hoeing, always have sharp hoes', and use only the 
force necessary to the particular object, raising the hoe 
only six to eight inches, and more licks can be made. Only 
get under the crown of the grass. Always be governed 
])y natural laws and natural causes'. The style and expert- 
ness of the w^ork are no small things ; so with judgment in 



34 DiCKSOx's AND R?»riTH's INARMING. 

coming to time, and working at the right place and in 
the right style of work, etc. 

Those who may ])resnme to call my plan of farm- 
ing a failnro, either do not know it, or can not execnte 
ii. The dividends of stocks are the trne tests of 
their value. Crops and dividends are the true tests' of 
any system of farnuing. I would fain shrink from saying 
anything about my planting, but my practical success has 
been so beyond comprehension, and so known by my Han- 
cock friends, as induces me to report for the encourage- 
ment of all enterprising young farmers. Ts it not hard to 
believe that in the poorest part of ITancock County, Geor- 
gia, a man can take $25,000 and double it twenty times in 
fifteen years ? But it is true, and in the meantime, I have 
consumed at least seven per cent, of the capital for my 
family expenses. 

One of the most imjiortant things to learn is how to 
control labor and how to have your laborers in place, and 
all move together at once, doing the work the easiest way, 
but for the best effect. 

I am writing of old times. I teach all ray hands to be 
experts — to do the work better and faster than others. I 
never knew how little work other farmers got out of hands 
before the war. IMy old han<ls could do fifty per cent, 
more work ami with more ease, than any I have ever em- 
ployed since. Each one could do any kind of work done 
on the farm; the new comers could do one or two kinds of 
work, and that not well. But some people can not believe 
that anything can be done which they can not do themselves. 
Dr. Tee once remarked of my farming, w^hen on a visit, 
"]\rr. T)ickson has d( uionstrated to men of small mcan:^. 



Introduction. 35 

that not only a living conld be made on poor land but a 
large fortune, and that as the great majority of land was 
poor, there was no calculating what might be done by care- 
ful study of the science of agriculture and the art of 
farming." 



Importance of Informing Your Minds. 

Some men are born generals, some mechanics, some 
orators, some farmers ; some adapted to one profession, and 
some to another; but the great mass of men have to read, 
study and practice, to become efficient in any calling they 
may select; and if they apply themselves faithfully, and 
do not rise above mediocrity, they should quit that business' 
and try some other. Whatever has been accomplished by 
man can be done again, and ought to be done better, with 
all the accumulated knowledge of the past before us. 

What is book-farming? It does not mean to take a 
book in your hand and go to the field ; but it means you 
should read and study everything that you can possibly 
bring to bear on farming, and store it away in your head. 
But be sure to master the subject, and learn the true plan. 
Ihis is the science of agriculture. Study bad practice as 
well as good, and learn of the latter the errors, that you 
may avoid them. Read books imtil you become so perfect 
in theory and the use of tools and manure that yOu will 
have confidence and the nerve to act, and act at once — not 
lose time running about to your neighbors, to see when to 
do a thing and how to do it. Do not let frost, or wet or dry 
weather cause you to doubt or dally. Fortify yourself 
with books before you begin — such books as will teach you 



36 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

everything necessary to yoiir success ; and do not forget 
that you can learn something from almost every profession. 

Book iai'iiiiiig moans for the farmer just wliat Ixnik- 
learning does for the physician. The medical student 
must read all the Ijooks and attend all the lectures, and the 
dibsecting room, until ]w can ])ass, then take his medicine 
and instruments, go out to practice and test his knowl- 
edge. So with hook farming. You must read and study, 
not only agricultural hooks, hut all books that would apply 
in any way to that profession. 

You need the knowledge of a general to enable you to 
disci]dine your lalwrers' to come to time — to move all at 
once — to know when to charge, when to retreat. You need 
the knowleilge of a banker, when yor.v moncv is made, to 
know hoAv to invest it (and this is a very important point). 
You want the knowledge of a bookkeeper, that you may 
keep your accounts correctly. In this, many farmers fail 
— they fool themselves, not knowing how to keep their 
d(d)tor and creditor accounts — get in debt and become bank- 
rupts before they are aware of it. You must have some 
knowledge of mcchauies and machinery, or you will never 
know how to keep implements and machines in order or 
use thein ; and if the farmer is ignorant, how can he in- 
struct the laborer? You should even have a sufficient 
knowledge of law to know how to keep out of the courts. 
You should have some knowledge of commerce and trade, 
for you have to buy and sell. You should learn from 
the merchant order and puncluality. This is no small 
item in a lifetime business. 

How is all this to be acquired? By reading and hard 
study, and making an application of the knowledge ac- 



38 Dickson's and Smith's Fakmi 



NG. 



qnired. KnoAvledge is poAver, in agriculture as well as 
other things ; and how are yon to get knowledge '(! Onlj' 
hy reading, study, and application. With knowledge, you 
can use the hand as well as' the tongue more effectively. 

You must learn the use of tools, A man that has a 
perfect use of tools, can do double the work one can who 
knows nothing about their use. Railroads and steamboats 
have brought men together, and have furnished a partial 
remedy for want of books. 

I would ask you, can you tell what the farmer is now 
gaining by the use of manures' and by the knowledge re- 
ceived through agricultural papers ? Or can you tell what 
is lost to Georgia by not taking the agricultural papers, and 
keeping up with the improvements of the day? By read- 
ing agricultural papers, each farmer may learn and prac- 
tice all the improvements of every farmer in the State, 
Who would not subscribe and pay for an agricultural pa- 
]^er, for siudi a reward as that? 

No man has a right to put his light under a bushel. 
Farmers, come out, and let your lights since ! If you can 
not afford to give it away by contributing to The South- 
ern OuLTivATOE, put it iu book form and sell it. If you 
have improved tools, take out patents for them, and sell 
the rights, or give them to the public. 

Young men, read, practice, and qualify yourselves for 
one of the noblest of callings. Do not commence where 
your fathers did, but where they are now, and where the 
best farmers in the State are, and being young, active and 
vigorous, make every effort to surpass the best. Be as- 
sured there is' much to learn yet. 

The three great essentials are: first the theory (true 



Introduction. 39 

plan) of farming; second, the art of controlling labor, and 
executing all woxk to the best advantage with least labor; 
third, (last and best), success depends on quick perception, 
wise judgment, that seldom or never errs. How is this to 
be acquired except by the use of "books, in conjunction 
with practice? 

In conclusion, I may say, to succeed, you not only must 
be superior to your laborers, but you must be so far ahead 
of them that they shall know that your plans are wise, 
easy to put in practice, and certain of success. Then they 
will follow ill a charge, as good soldiers will the best of 
generals. The laborer must have confidence in the man 
that directs. How are all these qualifications secured ? 
I repeat through books, hard study, observation and prac- 
tice. David Dickson. 



Chapter I. 
THE FAEM. 

The farmer should select a farm of fertile soil, or soils' 
capable of illimitable fertilization. It will not pay to 
cultivate poor or exhausted lands. If not productive, they 
must be made so by proper treatment. 

It has been clearly demonstrated that certain soils are 
especially adapted to certain crops. Corn will grow bet- 
ter and make better yields on certain classes of soil than 
on other and different soils. The same is true of cotton. 
One farm will successfully produce grain crops, while 
another grows cotton more profitably. 

The farm land and quality of soil should be selected 
in view of the crops proposed to be raised. For the 
growth of corn I would select a soil of black prairie, blue 
limestone, brown or mulatto soil with a moderate gravel; 
also, what is called strong land of the river bottom, 

I would prefer brown or mulatto land — with moderate 
gravel, for cotton. The subsoil should not be retentive of 
water, but sliould let the water percolate through, yet not 
open enough to leach the land. From my observation I 
find this kind of land more productive. I find such soil 
makes the stalks more bushy and prolific, and bear better 
through the season. The fruit comes thicker on the limbs, 
and there is less falling of squares. The most sandy 
lands may be profitably cultivated by sticking the particles 
«)f sand together with vegetable mold; and it would be a 



The Farm. 41 

great addition to add muck or river mi;d, or any other 
substance that would measurably adhere the sand, and 
make it dark enough to prevent reflection, and close enough 
1.0 hold the water. Cotton can be cultivated on sand in 
this' way. Sandy land, I consider the lowest grade, and 
the sandier the land the lower the grade. 

For wheat, I would take the very same soil as for cot- 
ton. Wheat will succeed better on the heavier lands 
than cotton. 

For oats, the same may be said. I do not think there 
lo any particular difference between oat soils and wheat 
soils, but oats will grow better on low, flat lands than 
wheat. 

Wheat requires land that is better drained, eitlier by 
natural or artificial means'. 

Rye will grow anywhere corn will, and do better on 
light or sandy soil than wheat or oats. 

The farm should, by actual or imaginary lines, be laid 
off into divisions so as to be cultivated on the five-field 
system. 

I M^ould have a permanent pasture. One field should 
rest, one field should have cotton, one corn, and one small 
grain. I would put in cotton after rest, corn after cotton, 
small grain after com, and rest after sm,all grain. If you 
have only five fields and wish to keep up the vegetable mold 
to a desirable standard, sow peas after the crop is off, al- 
ways using commercial fertilizers as the most desirable in 
all kinds of farming. In using commercial fertilizers you 
should not overlook the point of saving home manures. 
The more fertilizer bought, the more home manures should 
be saved and applied to the farm. 



42 "Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

One of the objects in the system of rotation of crops 
lecoiiiiii: iided is speii fmin thv fart that all ])hints do not 
receive the same kind of material from the soil; one kind 
draws more phosphate and another more ammonia, and 
some draw very little of either. If yon were to plant 
one kind of crop alone you would soon exhaust the land 
of that particular kind of nutritive element required. I 
would let the land rest in order for it to accumulate 
vegetable mpld, and to make it produce more, annually, 
than it would without rest, and thus save labor. The 
^egetable mold would keep the land open and porous 
and soft so that the roots could penetrate through it. 

I would plant cotton after rest, because the land is then 
in a better condition for the cotton, there being no corn 
stalks in the way, and less crab-grass, to obstruct its 
growth. Experience has; also shown that the land, when 
cultivated in cotton after rest, will produce a healthier 
weed, and will retain water better to keep guano soluble. 
The vegetable mold darkens the soil so that it will receive 
the heat better and keep it up better during the twenty- 
four hours. It does not throw the reflection of the sun 
back on the plants to burn and scorch them. The vegeta- 
ble mold in the land from the rest is becoming soluble the 
yej^r round, and during the growth of the crop, and when 
partially decayed it acts like a sponge in holding the 
Avater and letting it out gradually to the roots of the plants. 
If there should be a surplus of water, it leaves the land 
porous enough for the water to pass through into the 
subsoil and prevent its damaging the crops. 

It is proved by experience that corn grows better after 
cotton than after any other plant, and that it is more 



The Farm. 43 

easily cultivated. It makes heavier and sounder com. 
Corn, when cultivated on my system, leaves the land in a 
beautiful condition, and there is less labor necessary to 
prepare the land for small grain. The com crop could be 
gathered in time for the small grain, while the cotton crop 
could not, and these are the only two summer crops. The 
reason that I prefer rest to succeed small grain is because 
the land is then smooth, no open furrows to wash, and is 
covered with stubble and small grass to protect it. 



Chapter II. 
GENERAL TREATMEIs^T OF LANDS. 

Ill the treatment of lands lies the main secret — the 
source of success or failure in all agricultural pursuits. 
As a single item or specification in nij system of farming, 
I attach more real importance and practical value to this 
than to any other one subject connected with the study 
and practice of agriculture; and to my special attention 
to and method of treating my lands, do I, in a very im- 
portant sense, attribute my aggregate successful results 
as a farmer. It is a part^ — an essential component of my 
theory and plan of farming; and to dispense with its due 
('<»nsideration and practice, would simply amount to dis- 
paragement of success in the whole enterprise. 

We have sketched the Farm, the adaptation of crops 
to soils; the qualification of the farmer for planning and 
executing the work, and the importance of framing his 
operations upon rational and scientific bases ; and we come 
now to the ground-work — 'the grand basis of permanent 
and aggregate success in all farming. 

There is no point or step co-eqnal in importance, in 
view of successful farming, with that of proper and con- 
servative treatment of lands. It constitutes the main- 
spring, — the essential policy in all farming. It is the first 
lesson for the planter to learn, and an imperative duty 
that he may not, with impunity, neglect — to keep his 
lands tillable — in good healthy state for cultivation. 

In common routine farming, the treatment of lands, to 



General Treatment of Lands. 45 

the end of improving or even keeping them up to a healthy 
standard — is mo^t woefully neglected, or misdirected 
through want of scientific guidance. To cultivate poor 
land is folly. It can not pay. Tf not rich, it must be 
made fertile ; and if it be rich, it must, by proper treat- 
ment, be kept in good heart, and constantly improved in 
fertility. It must not, by neglect or mismanagement or 
by botchery, be permitted to run down and exhaust itself, 
as is too true of a very large acreage of the lands of Geor- 
gia and the South, which are now refusing to produce 
paying crops — and purely for the want of conservative 
and scientific treatment. 

Manuring Lands. 

Thert are just as many ways to presei've and improve 
land as to waste it ; and by close economy and industry, 
you can gather the fertilizing elements much faster than 
they are wasted by the crops. ISTature helps to waste, 
and helps to return. The rains leach and wash away fer- 
tility, .while plants and evaporation from the sea return 
it to some extent to the land. Hence, let everything made 
on the farm, after it is used or eaten, except the- lint of 
cotton — ^which takes away little from the soil — be returned 
to the land. In addition, gather muck, scrapings of 
swamps, leaves and pine-straw, and c^rry to the nearest 
field, and scatter broadcast. Don't be afraid of mud and 
pine-straw hurting your land — heat and moisture will make 
it right. All vegetable matter placed on your fields, will, 
in due time, turn to com and cotton. Handle manure 
as little as possible but handle a great deal of it. The 



46 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

field is the place to make it, the plough to stir it, and the 
sun and water to turn it into corn and cotton. But be- 
fore putting it on your fields in this way, use enough muck 
and straw in your stock-yards to absorb the ammonia of 
the stock drippings, and take up the urine, and have as 
much of this saved — under shelter — as possible. Once a 
week sprinkle it with pluster. Do not handle it or pile 
it. The first time you stick your fork in it, pitch it in 
the wagon and carry it to the field. Make every lick 
count. Manure loses every time it is turned or moved. 
Let all your spare time be spent in gathering new lots of 
manure. Carry to the nearest field at once, but not to 
the lot to get twice as heavy by the addition of water. 

1 prefer this diffuse and economical method of applying 
this valuable class of manures, to that of raking and shov- 
eling and loading and carrying to the compost heap — and 
then penning and sheltering, and then again tearing down, 
loading and hauling to the field. Let it lie under the 
shelter till breaking or planting time and haul imme- 
diately to the field; this saves labor that might be more 
profitably employed in gathering up other manures. In- 
stead of penning stock to make manures, let them range 
the fields. LeaA'e a shade-tree for every twenty-fivo acrc^s 
of cleared land. The stock will feed until full, then go to 
the shade to rest. They drop but little manure till they 
get in motion — twenty to one hundred yards from the tree. 
Place salt over the field in right places. Pen your straw 
and shucks in occasional places over the field, that the 
stock may gather and litter around them. The cheapest 
and best plan to save manure from stock while grazing 
or eating off crops from fields, is to have the manure 



Geineral Treatment of Lands. 47 

dropped hy the stock where it is' needed. The urine soaks 
into the soil at once, and the excrement, like a post, com- 
•iiences rtvttini;- at the snrface next the ground, and being 
covered by the sounder part, the earth absorbs the am- 
monia a.; fast as foi-meil. Stock while iiiazing drop ma- 
nure regularly over the field;, and the object of giving them 
shade-trees' is to keep them out of the swamp. I contend 
that this plan gives cheaper manure, more beef and less 
labor than any other. Use manures everywhere you plow 
and plant, except in a hole of water, or on a rock. If you 
cultivate land, it will pay to use manure, and it will pay 
l/ost on lands that pay best Avithout it; the safest without 
uianure is the safest with manure; and your labor will be 
more certainly rewarded by using manure on all the land 
you plant. You can and must accumulate manures in 
the same ratio as you buy it — the more you purchase the 
more you can make at home. 

To get the full benefit of manures, lands must be rested 
to grow weeds, and accmnulate vegetable mold. Also use 
il on the pea crop for the same purpose. 

}'('ru\'ian guano and other strong nitrogenous ftu-tilizers 
will exhaust land under any bad or erroneous system of 
farming. The mixture I recommend, under a good sys- 
tem, will make land rich. 

The use of guano or other commercial fertilizers is ob- 
jected to by some — thinking it lessens the interest in home- 
made manures. It should be made the means of doubling 
the wheat and oat straw, producing twice the quantity of 
weeds where land is at rest, doubling the quantity of peas 
and vines — and the more of all such manures produced 
and saved, the better guano will pay. I am in favor of 



Genebal Treatment of Lands. 49 

making' the laiul produce' duiiMc what it iiuw j)r(ir JiiC'S ; 
instead of doubling the nnmber of laborers by the importa- 
tjiin of Cliinese, double the productiveness of land, and 
it will be worth four tiniois the jn-esent value. We want 
more manure, and the cities of the South can furnish it in 
poudrette, and add greatly to the health of the places. 

Resting Land. 

By this we mean, allowing it to lie without cultivation 
for one or more crop seasons, and allowing it to grow up 
in grass and weeds. This spontaneous crop — covering the 
land well over during spring and summer, and rotting and 
decomposing during the winter and spring, produces quite 
an amount of soluble vegetable matter for replenishing the 
exhausted quantum of vegetable mold and humus, without 
Vvdiich in the soil no land can claim productiveness, or any 
course of manuring prove of much benefit. This dry veg- 
etable matter turned into the soil likewise furnishes traces 
of ammonia and other fertile elements which tend to en- 
liven and recuperate the soil. Such supply of vegetable 
matter is important for keeping the soil mellow and po- 
rous, so that it will readily take in the rainfall, with its 
fertilizing gases, and allow the crop-roots to penetrate and 
[lervade it. Tt prevents lands from baking after heavy 
lains, and quickly becoming hard and crusty and imper- 
meable to the atmosphere. 

The treatment of the various classes of soils' does not 
A ary so much as might be supposed. Extremes are likely 
to meet, and rest exerts different valuable effects upon 
different lands aside from its general uniform results. Let 



50 Dickson's and Smith's Fakming. 

a sandy soil rest to accumulate vegetable mold, to turn the 
soil dark and enable it to receive the heat, and prevent 
reflection and burning what is above ground ; to hold a 
uniform heat, and so fasten the particles of sand together 
as to enable the soil more readily to receive and hold mois- 
ture — all of which effects are important besides the real 
and permanent increase of fertility. On the other hand 
rest a clay soil not only to accumulate vegetable mold, to 
deposit fertile elements, and to darken the soil — as in. 
case of sandy lands — but also open the particles of clay, 
and thus pulverize the soil so as to receive the rains, let in 
the air, light and gases, and enable it to uniformly retain 
heat and moisture. 

All lands should be rested at least one year in four ; and 
the best time for rest is after small-grain crops. To make 
it more positively beneficial, treat it as follows: After 
taking off the grain crop, pasture the balance of the year. 
Rest from January to Jnne or July the year after ; then 
filant peas with manure ; then feed off with stock. It will 
pay all interest and cost, and leave the land bolter for the 
next crop. The year after plant in cotton, then in corn 
and then in small grain, and again rest. 

Rotation of Crops. 

The crops upon all lands should be changed occasion- 
ally; and it is practically important to change them every 
year under some regular system of rotation- — such as. my 
Five Field System, hereafter to be mentioned in these 
pages. Rotation of crops not only materially assists in 
furnishing the requisite supply of vegetable mold and hu- 



General. Treatment of Lands. 51 

mus — the standard of wliicli must be kept up — but is like- 
wise important in a chenLical sense. 

One object in the system of rotation of -crops recom- 
mended is seen from the fact that all plants do not receive 
the same kind of material from the soil. One crop draws 
more phosphate, and another more ammonia, and some 
very little of either. If you were to plant one kind of 
crop alone for a number of years, it would soon exhaust 
the land of that particular nutritive element required. For 
instance, the clean culture of cotton lessens' the supply and 
exhausts the nitrogen in the same proportion ; but a crop 
of wheat or oats or corn, with the additional crop of grass 
and weeds, will replace all these exhausted elements — 
organic matter and ammonia, and besides, will furnish 
the soil phosphoric acid. Hence the benefit accruing 
from change of crops — not only to the present crop — but 
permanent improvement of the land. Rotation is a means 
of material importance in keeping up the land to a healthy 
and fertile standard, and can not, with impunity, be neg- 
lected by any practical agriculturist. 



Chapter III. 
FERTILIZATION OF SOILS AND CEOPS. 

I repeat, with emphasis, the practical importance of the 
two means suggested in last chapter for keeping up and 
positively enriching lands, I refer to rest and rotation. 
All these procedures directly furnish the soil with vegeta- 
ble matter, and certain fertilizing elements — thus imita- 
ting the process of nature in the formation of original or 
virgin soil. 

As an essential prelude to all direct and positive steps 
toward fertilizing the farm, we must mention proper 
drainage — ^ditching of the hillsides and draining the bot- 
toms with deep and deeper plowing every year — in addi- 
tion to the incorporation of vegetable mold in the soil as 
above directed, even if you have to resort to two green 
crops on the same land tlie same year; but be sure to 
turn your land deeply and siibsoil it every year. Return 
the proceeds of all crops to the land — as near as possible — 
including cottonseed, pea-vines, wheat straw, etc. Make 
as much manure under shelter as possible, using straw, 
leaves and other litter to absorb the whole of the urine 
and excrement of the stock and no more. Utilize to the 
extent of your teams, all the scrapings from fence corners, 
swamp mud, innck out of the pond's and bottoms, spread- 
ing it over the lands ; all barn-yard manure, preserved 
imder shelter, and other rich scrapings. Everything made 
on the place after it is used or eaten, except the lint of 



Fertilization of Soils and Crops. 53 

cotton, which takes very little from the soil, must be re- 
turned to the land. 

Use commercial manures on all crops planted, up to 
from one hundred to one thousand pounds per acre of 
"Dickson's Compound," which will be noticed directly 
on these pages. Soils are not to be considered up to 
their full capacity until you have twelve inches of soil 
and six inches of subsoil. It is a good plan to subsoil 
at least one-fourth of your crop lands every year. 

The greatest of all the means of improving lands is to 
use liberally the commercial manures every year, and on 
all crops planted, because you not only improve the land, 
but it will also pay you to use them out of the crops grown. 
I consider this the "philosophers' stone" in all farming. 
You may talk of machinery for saving labor but there is 
no such thing as labor-saving where the liberal use of ma- 
nure is' neglected. ]^o machinery, can possibly compro- 
mise the importance and absolute necessity of manures in 
all farming operations. They permanently improve lands, 
and at the same time, pay their own cost on every crop, 
and bring in clear net profits to reward labor and enter- 
prise. But at the same time, while I consider annual 
application of good crop-growing manures the greatest and 
cheapest means of saving labor, they give you capital to 
increase your labor-saving machinery in the same propor- 
tion that they increase your crops. I would not deter the 
farmer from all labor-saving machinery. I look upon 
manures and machinery as the best means' by which we 
can add to our present labor. 

There are several points of importance connected with 
the application of commercial manures as crop growers 



54 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

which must be considered in order to obtain full fer- 
tilizing benefits. By former treatment of the lands, the 
soil must be properly imbued with vegetable matter and 
especially of vegetable mold, in order to prepare it for 
the process of chemical assimilation. When applied to 
worn down and exhausted soils, it fails to produce its 
full fertilizing effects ; and hence in routine farming 
it is frequently said of it that it ^'burns up the crops 
and exhausts the soil." This is all for the want of 
sufficiency of vegetable matter to support and bring out 
the fertile powers of the guano. The absolute necessity is 
a proper system of farming. 

In my practice, and on my farms, these manures have 
always paid me good profit besides steadily improving my 
land. It is a great mistake to say "guano has exhausted 
and ruined my land." It was exhausted before the guano 
was applied, and hence the failure was attributable to the 
farmer for using guano on lands that had an insufficient 
supply of vegetable mold to support the guano and develop 
its fertilizing effects. The richest barn-yard compost may 
as signally fail in the hands of an ignorant routinist whose 
lands' are never rested and whose depth of soil is only two 
inches instead of eighteen. 

Peruvian Guano — ^Is' obtained from Peru and the 
Chincha Islands. The prevalent opinion is that this guano 
is the deposit of birds. My own opinion is, that this de- 
posit is a natural formation, the same as coal, iron, plas- 
ter, gold, etc., in those countries where they would be pre- 
served for their present use. My reason for this opinion 
is founded on the enormous quantities of this deposit. In 
making a calculation of the number of birds that could sit 



Fertilizatiojst of Soils and Crops. 55 

on these islands* and feed within a reasonable distance of 
each other, they never coidd have gotten a sufficient quan- 
tity of fish to produce the phosphates and ammonia that 
are found in the island, containing, as these guanos do, on 
an average, 16 per cent, of amimonia and 30 per cent, of 
bone earth. I have not the means of ascertaining the exact 
amount, but several millions of tons have long since been 
taken from these islands, and still the supply is not ex- 
hausted. ]^ow, if a few birds have accumulated all this' — 
occupying not more land than one or two counties to feed 
on — what can the whole multitude of farmers do, with 
their stock spread over the whole globe ? / say, that they 
can make every acre rich, if they will. Providence in- 
tended the earth should increase in fertility as rapidly as 
it does in population. Every man that assists in remov- 
ing this dormant guano, lying idle and useless on the Chin- 
cha Islands, and puts it in circulation, creating therewith 
food and clothing, is a benefactor to his kind. The coun- 
try suffers for want of a share of the surplus fertilizing 
material. Remove the deposit, and apply it to our crops, 
and it will enrich the land, and even that which escapes 
will enrich the atmosphere, to be gathered in again by 
growing plants. 

As already stated, in my practice, I have found Peru- 
vian guano the best fertilizer I have ever used ; and as in a 
large majority of manures, its principal value consists in 
the amount of nitrogen or ammonia it contains. Not un- 
dervaluing other substances, yet I consider ammonia at 
the head of the list. 

I commenced the use of guano in 1846, and gradually 
increased the use of it until the present time — never hav- 



56 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

ing omitted to use it on my crops excepting the last years of 
the war, when I could not obtain it. With a proper sys- 
tem of rotation of crops, and returning all the crops to 
the land, except the lint of the cotton land, may be im- 
proved with Peruvian guano alone, but not so fast as when 
you combine with the soil all the elements of the plants to 
be grown. Ammonia being necessary for all plants, I 
know of no crop that it would not benefit. It will pay 
the best upon those crops that bring the most money — cot- 
ton being that crop in this section, and tobacco in other 
sections. 

The direct fertilization of lands is effected by various 
manures, cottonseed, and a long list of commercial and ma- 
nipulated compounds. 

But as I am proposing simply to furnish the reader my 
own system of farming, I shall restrict my notice of ma- 
nures to those only that I have used in my own practice, 
and which from long experience and successful results I 
can commend as valuable and reliable fertilizers. 

Ammonia 

Is certainly the most valuable manure known to agricul- 
ture. I consider it the best crop grower, and the main- 
spring that puts all the rest in action. As already noticed, 
it abounds' in Peruvian guano, and is the special ingredient 
that makes this guano soluble as a fertilizer. It is largely 
furnished by barn-yard manures and composts and also 
by cottonseed, and hence the value of these substances as 
strong and powerful fertilizers. The manure heap and 
the compost of lot manure and cottonseed attach their chief 
value as fertilizers and crop growers to the ammonia 



Fertilization of Soils and CRors. 57 

evolved. Ammoiiia is contained in the atmospliere and by 
the rain-fall is carried dovs^n and diffused in the soil. It is 
an ingredient of one of the components of the atmosphere, 
and an element in all plants. It is supplied to the soil by 
decomposition of plants and, hence the fertilizing value 
of green crops turned into the soil. The soil incorporates 
the ammonia and holding it as a fertile element, feed's it 
to the grov^ing crops. 

Ammonia being the most easily exhausted of all ma- 
nures', it requires annual application to the soil for suste- 
nance and growth of annual crops, and yet its imipress is 
permanent upon the soil. Witness for instance, the last- 
ing fertile effect of a pile of cottonseed or heap of wheat- 
straw upon a certain spot of ground. It will show itself 
for ten years to come, and luxuriant crops will annually 
mark the spot. Hence, we say of ammonia, it is the chief 
of all the crop-growers', and the most substantial fertilizing 
element knowm to the farmer and horticulturist. 

Dissolved Bones 

or phosphate I consider second in vahie as a fertilizer 
— it being one of the most important ingredients in the 
chemical composition of the grain and seeds of plants. 
This substance forms the basis' of many of the most valu- 
able commercial phosphates and compounds now in popu- 
lar use as fertilizers. Of these their value depends on 
their solubility. While insoluble they are worthless to 
growing crops'. 



56 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

Potash 

1 cunsidor of third rate, or mere iiuinial value us a fer- 
tilizer, compared with ammonia and the phosphates. It is 
not of mnch value as a crop-grower, but seems to act benefi 
cially upon some soils by dissolving and thus reducing 
some of the inorganic and mineral substances' of the soil 
to an assimilable condition. 

Land Plaster and Salt. 

We mention these, not as positive fertilizers, but as in 
some sent? adjuncts to the two prominent fertilizers last 
mentioned. These will pay their cost; but their greatest 
value consists in keeping the other manures active, pre- 
venting rust and assisting crops in standing dry weather. 

With sufficiency of the above-named manures^ viz.: am- 
monia, dissolved bones, land plaster and salt, the crops 
will be enabled to find most of the other ingredients nec- 
essary for their development and maturity. It is admit- 
ted that every article composing the plant must be present 
in the soil, but I do not think that they should be in exact 
quantities. It will do to have more of one ingredient and 
less of another. My favorite "compound" — ^presently to 
be noticed, is about as near perfect — in point of supplying 
every element of plant food — as a manure can be made. 
It does not put you to the trouble of getting all the ingre- 
dients of plants and combining them, the four principal 
ones enabling the plant to find the others that are neces- 
sary. Should they fail, all economical means should be 
used to find out what particular item is wanting and sup- 
ply it. 



Febtilization of Soils and Ckops. 59 

"Dickson's Compound." 

After twenty years of diligent research and stndy of the 
laws of nature as applied to agriculture, with the experi- 
mental use of Peruvian and other guanos upon soils and 
crops, I have determined upon the following combination 
of commercial manures as the best and most valuable for 
all crops: 

Formula, "Dickson's Compound." 

Peruvian Guano 100 pounds 

Dissolved Bones' 100 pounds 

Common Salt 100 pounds 

Land Plaster 50 pounds 

Well mixed. 
This compound I have now been using for many years 
upon all my farm crops, and unfailingly with satisfactory 
results. In my hands and under my system of farming, 
this compound has never failed to grow me good crops and 
bring me satisfactory dividends. It has always paid me, 
and my clear profits have always been larger in propor- 
tion to the amount of the compound applied — up to one 
thousand pounds per acre. I have long since learned not 
to fear failure of making paying crops no matter the 
season. 

This year, (1869) has been the driest year that T have 
known since I have been farming, there having fallen very 
little rain since the 2Yth of April. At this time, I^ovem- 
ber the 8th — many branches and creeks on my place have 
not a drop of water in them. My mill has not turned 



GO Dickson's ano SMrnr.s Fakmino. 

since the first of May, and tlieru is nu( a droi) of water in 
the pond, though I have an nnusnially tight dam. It has 
bocMi Olio of the best years for Icsling \\\o value of the dif- 
ferent modes of farming, in my vvhoh; farui experience. 
The negroes have notions of their own, and I have thought 
proper to let thiMU be convinced of the; value of the "'com- 
pdiind" \)\ tjieir owu ex])t!riiii('iits. Some of them have 
iisid (111 j)()rtiun of the crop boue and Peruvian guano 
alone, others used on the balance of the crop the full "com- 
pound." They are enabled now — at any time day or 
night — to see the difference between the effects of the full 
"compound" and the bone and Peruvian guano alone — 
the crops grown with the compound grew better, kept 
greener, made larger ears of corn and more of them, and 
■finer cotton. 

This yaw has been considered one of the most disas- 
trous for rust, but I have had less rust this year than usual, 
not exceeding one or two per cent, on the plantation, and 
having a great deal of land that is subject to rust. I 
I tried this year an experiment on a plot of land that 
failed to make cotton fifty-two years ago. T planted that 
plot on the nineteenth and twentieth of May, ;ind the col- 
ton on it was flourishing, with no rust, except on about 
one-half of an acre of the water-oak land on one edge. It 
has produced the largest bolls of any cotton on the planta- 
tion, having used about 800 pounds of the "compound" 
to the acre. This plat has produced, I believe, and all 
visitors think so too, no less than one bale per acre. It 
would require no less than 400 pounds of the compound 
to do this, still any one will find that it will pay a good 
interest on the money to use a thousand pounds of the 



Fertilization of Soils and CRors. Gl 

compound per acre. ISTo man should object to making an 
investment in this compound when he is paid from four to 
ten times the interest on his money that he would get by 
loaning it to a bank, a railroad or his neighbor. The 
true test for deciding what is the most profitable amount 
of manure to be used, is to take off the legal rate of inter- 
est on the amount that is used, and then count the dollars 
they have made over, and not the per cent, that any given 
quantity makes. For instance, you would use one hun- 
dred pounds of it to the acre, the cost being, say, four dol- 
lars per hundred pounds, the interest would be twenty- 
eight cents ; it would gain six dollars, making one hundred 
and fifty per cent. There is six dollars' made per acre 
above the rate of interest. If you use 400 pounds per 
acre at a cost of $16, the interest is $1.12. If it only 
gained one hundred per cent, there is $16, showing $14.88 
clear profit. I admit that there would be a less percent- 
age, but the estimate is' made in order to show that the 
profit is greater the more guano is used after deducting 
the legal rate of interest until you reach the amount of 
about one thousand pounds per acre. In each of these 
calculations, the labor is the same, and a large crop is as 
easily gathered as a small one. Large ears of corn are 
more easily gathered than small ones, and the same is true 
of perfect bolls of cotton. In addition to this, you have 
the advantage of the great stimulus to work that a fine 
cotton and corn crop gives to the laborers. 

This compound I have used on all sorts of crops. I 
used it because I consider it the most perfect compovaul, 
and combining more approximately the several chemical 
elements entering into the composition of, and necessary 



Fertilization of Soils and Crops. 63 

for the sustenance, growth and development of the several 
farm-crops. 

In ans'wer to the question frequently asked, to what 
class of lands is your compound applicable ? I desire to 
state, that I have used it successfully and with remuner- 
ative results upon all my lands, including every variety of 
soil to be found in Middle Georgia. My lands extend 
from the granite hills' in Hancock county, to the rotten 
limestone and long moss in Washington county; from red, 
rocky hills, to a blowing sand twenty feet to the clay, and 
from a mulatto soil to a pipe clay ; and tell you if a farmer 
can make corn and cotton on a blowing sand, he can make 
them anywhere above water — off of a solid rock. So my 
compound is well-nigh applicable to all farm lands. Can 
any man believe that anvmonia and phosphates would 
even fail ivhere a plow ought to run? T have been often 
asked: "What kind of land pays best with guano?" I have 
but one reply — "land that pays best without it." Land could 
be so rich, that sixteen hundred pounds of ammonia would 
make but a small percentage of profit on investment; but 
v.'e have none such in Georgia. 

Land can be improved, and eventually made rich, under 
proper system of treatment and culture, by atmospheric 
agencies alone. But this agency can be greatly quickened 
by the compound. The better drained and preserved the 
soil, and the deeper ploughed, the more rapidly the land 
can be improved. The ammonia and carbonic acid of the 
atmosphere, continually formed and deposited in the land, 
will yearly improve the crops, which under proper rota- 
tion will leave more in the soil than they take from it. 
The richer a soil grows, the more will the plants grown up- 



04 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

en it take from the atmosphere and the more rapidly can its 
fertility be increased. I do not underrate the value of any 
manure that supplies the elements necessary to make a per- 
fect grain of corn or cottonseed ; but I do attach superior 
importance and value to ammonia and carbon or vegetable 
matter. 

Some classes of lands containing an excess of lime and 
other minerals, continued cultivation without the applica- 
tion of ammonia in some form seem to tire in productive- 
ness and apparently become exhausted'. This excess of 
mineral supplies in the soil renders all nitrogenous mat- 
ters soluble, and the supply of ammonia is soon given off 
to the plants, whilst the manure has not been returned. 
Sow such lands down in cowpeas or clover, treated as 
alrrady directed, and in two years the exhausted lands 
will 1)0 restored almost to virgin productiveness; aininonia 
is known to be the groat crop-growor, but to command it, 
_\ou must have all the necessary salts contained in the va- 
rious crops. The more nitrogen or ammonia you store 
away in your land, the more you can obtain from the at- 
mosphere. 

I advocate mixing the valuable essential manures to 
grow perfect plants, as in my compound ; but if you use 
only one, let that be ammonia, as it is the best and cheap; 
est; but as it Avill bo niatorially assisted by soluble bone, I 
add it ill my fonuubi, and also land plaster and salt. I 
tliiiik my coniponnd woll nigh a jx'rfoct luannre, and it 
would bo (|iiii(^ so willi |)l('nly of polasli in llio land, or 
added by sowing ashes. To be successful in agriculture 
the farmer must know whoro all the elements of plants 
are, and how to control them. 



Fektilization of Soils and Crops. 65 

Plow deep and subsoil, use all possible manures to be 
had on tlie place, and purchase largely of the best manures 
in the market. Get manures, as perfect plant-growers as 
can be found; but you must have ammonia and soluble 
bone. With these, or my compound, you will have no 
use for second breaking. 

I am friendly to all pure guanos in their natural state, 
but prefer mixing them myself, and saving the profit, and 
for one, will buy that manure that pays the best. It is 
not recorded in my book of practice that, by adding a fer- 
tilizer to land, I kill that land. 

Fair, practical tests have decided in favor of auunonia 
as the chief of all known fertilizers. Tinder Northern and 
European systems, the farmers are improving tlicir 
lands almost exclusively by increasing their supplies of 
ammonia, growing hay, clover, oats and rye, and keeping 
stock to eat these crops annually, not gaining, but losing 
phosphates and gaining nitrogen, making the land rich, 
and the land making the owner rich with luxuriant and 
abundant crops. In English agriculture, ammonia is' the 
{(Miudation as taken from the atmosphere, from Peruvian 
guano, from the turnip, hay, clover, etc., returning merely 
the manure by which the supply of ammonia is constantly 
increased faster than that of the mineral elements. 

With a little ammonia we cnn gather large amounts' ev- 
ery year, getting large returns from year to year, adding 
? little ammonia annually, and getting good dividends on 
the investment. T believe strongly in natural laws. 
Study nature, trace all things from cause to effect, and 
from effect to cause ; but take no such extreme views as 
some do, advocating surface manuring because the trees 



00 Dickson's and Smith's Fakming. 

drop their leaves on the ground, and hence, it is' nature's 
plan to manure the surface. At all events add a little 
science, experience and art to assist, instead of invalida- 
ting the wisdom of natural laws. To command and use 
ammonia in the best and most economical way, both for 
permanently improving the farm, and getting large crop 
dividends, you must have five fields : 

Five-Field System. 

First, a permanent pasture; one for cotton, one for 
corn, one for small grain, one at rest. The field that 
rested last year, put in cotton with 300 or more pounds of 
the compound, or some guano, per acre. The field that 
was in cotton last year, plant iu corn, manuring with the 
cottonseed, putting in the middles cowpeas at the proper 
season for manuring the crop that follows', and it will pay 
to manure them for this purpose with the compound. 

The field that was in corn last year should be sown in 
small grain, with tAvo hundred pounds or more of my com- 
pound per acre. 

The field that had small grain last year should rest af- 
ter harvest up to from the 1st to 20th of July of the next 
year, then put in peas', with one hundred and twenty-five 
poimds of my guano. The method of putting in the peas 
has already been given the reader under the head of "Gen- 
eral Treatment of Lands." Should you not have time to 
plaiit the peas, let the land rest the balance of the year. 
This will })ecome the cotfon field for the next year, whether 
sown in ])eas or not. AVhcre clover succeeds, it can be 
sown with the small grain, and will gather fertility faster 
than the spontaneous growth. 



Feutilization of Soils and Croi's. ft? 

Now I will state a (liffcroiit way to prove that aninionia 
18 the cheapest and most exjteditioiis means to renew the 
fertility of land, and make; it productive. In the first 
place I will refer yofi to clover. Every ])erson knows the 
effect that clover has on worn land, in a climate where it 
will grow. The chief things added to the soil hy a clover 
crop, are carbon and ammonia. In the South, the cow- 
pea will answer the same end, if sown early, manured 
with two hundred pounds of Peruvian guano, and turned 
under from the 1st of July to the 1st of August ; then seed 
again with peas, using one hundred pounds of guano. 
Feed off with hogs and beef cattle, which will generally 
pay for all expenses, and leave the land twenty dollars 
better — the increase in value to be decided by the in- 
creased production of the next cotton crop, compared with 
that of a part of the 'field that you have left unmanured, 
and not sown with peas. 

If any man will try this experiment on one acre each 
way, and fails to get his money back next year, in cotton, 
I will send him the Cultivator during my life. All ac 
knowledge the importance of turning under green crops. 
The only thing lost by their drying, is their ammonia. I 
have made money by giving my land one year in four, to 
gather ammonia and humus. 

One of the great objects, aside from the immense prof- 
its of using commercial manures is, that it gives you the 
means of increasing your composts. It gives you in- 
creased feed for stock — increases your cottonseed and 
grasses to be turned under; causes weeds and other things 
to spring up early in the winter to be turned in the spring 
without any loss or trouble of using green crops. These 



08 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

weeds protect the land from wasliing during the heavy 
winter rains. Land washes much less when fertilizers 
are used, for the reason that they encourage deeper plow- 
ing; make three times the amount of litter to protect the 
land. One of the benefits of shade on land when at rest 
is, that there is a less amount of manures btcuining sohihh', 
and less leaching of the land during the year of rest. 
Cottonseed is very valuable as a mauurej being easily de- 
composed, and returning to its natural elements as food 
for plants. All articles of a vegetable nature, when re- 
duced to their natural elements, are valuable as fertiliz- 
ers. Manures are not alone valuable for the food they 
supply to plants, but they render the land more easy to 
cultivate and .assist the crops in sitanding either wet 
weather or dry weather. They cause less friction and 
resistance to the plough or hoe. Manures I consider one 
of the best economizers of labor that we can use in a hilly, 
broken or gullied country — vastly preferable to emigrants, 
because if the production becomes too great you can aban 
don the use of them for a season. 

Barn- Yard Manures. 

Except the droppings' on the farm, all stock manures 
should be raised under shelter, as far as practicable, and 
with as little labor as possible. It should be taken from 
where it has been deposited and carried directly to where 
it is to be used, never permiitting it tO' be thrown 
into the rain, or exposed to the sun to be burned and be- 
come of less value. It should be spread on the ground 
and applied immediately, so that the decomposition shall 



'TO Dickson's and Smith's Fakmin(;. 

tuk(>- plii('(^ cx.icllv wlicrii it is wiiiitod. Tii ill is way Iho 
rartli will lakf hold ol' all llio gases and oilici' diirusiblo 
suhshmccs Idniicd, and I'clain (luMn lor the ('ro|). 

In additiiiu to tlio droppings of (lie stock, everything 
that has been of a vogvtahle character is' of valne when ap- 
plied to the land, aiul \ consider it the clu^apest and l)est 
niediod lo (akc^ it wluM'e yon lind it, and carry it lo the 
nearest place whore it can he nsed. 

Ijinie s{)read over where you have deposited it, will re- 
dnce it to plant f(Hid hy the aid of heat, light and nioistnr(> 
in snilicieni, linu> for [ho i-rops, which will he a gri>at sav- 
ing in handling and rehandling il from three to four 
linu\s, th(> extra labor heing of nu)re value in increasing 
I he amount by hunting wasle deposits. In nianurt^s, as in 
e\-ery(liing els(\ lh(> great eonsideratit)n is to economize 
laboi-. llani into your lol, and place in your stalls pine- 
slraw, l(\iv(^s or littcM- of any kind, sufficient to absorb the 
ammonia of the slock di-oppings, and take up the urine, 
;ind have as much of this savinl under shelter as possibh>. 
Once a week sprinkU^ it with laud plaster to help dissolv(^ 
ihe imilltM- and retain th(> ammonia. Po not pile or handle 
it. rilch il inlo lh(> earl and carry it to the fiohl. Make 
e\(M-y lick count. Manure loses every time it is turned. 
JMnjiloy your idl(> lalxu* in gathering up scrapings of uui- 
nur(> and deposits from eNcry ])OS'sihle source. 



ClIAPTElt IV. 

ORGANIC AND INOUGANKJ MANIJUES. 

'riicsc iwc. i\\v (\V(i i-ccoi-in/cd mid disliiicl clnssos of iiiii- 
iini'cs, juid w'c d(>sii'(^ lo ('(nisidci' Ukmu ihisixh'I ivoly, ('oiii- 
pariiig their wdiic ;is crop i>TOWors. 

Iiiorgiuiic, iiKimii'cs, siicli as liine, pdlasli, |)li(»s|)lial('s, 
o(c., are the hasis of all fci-tilily and where lliev ahoiiiid 
in eoiisiderahle (|naiililies will enahle jilanls lo galher and 
appi'opriatx! nnich niorc^ of Ihe oi'ganic mannres. linl 
|danls and sccmIs are not always nnnle ii]) of speeilic^ .(]nan- 
lilii's, any more llian a liog is. 'I'ake a fat lii^g", weighing 
lliree linndi'e(| poiiiids, and one (d" llie same age vej'y poor, 
weighing one hiiiidred |)onnds. Analyze Ihe two, and 
nole the diU'ercnce in pi'ojiortion o{' all ihe parls, aeetu'd- 
ing lo llie weighl (d" each animal. Mow \arions Ihe j)ro- 
portions of bono, nitrogen, carhon, etc. 

'I'lie same disproportion holds good as lo eollonseed, 
the dilVei'ent plants, wood, etc., as to weighl and lo the in- 
ei'easc when applied to crops. 

Farmers, and olhei's not acipiainleil with (dieniistry, 
can ascertain llie relatix'e propin'lion o|" the organic and 
inorganic sid)slances hy I lie use ol" lire. b'or instance, 
take ten hnsliels cot IoiisimmI, and re(liic(> tlieni to ashes hy 
fire. Haying wcdghed them Ixd'ore i-edneing them, weigli 
tho -ashes that are hd'l ; the anhtunt set fi'ee comes from 
tho . atmosphere, and constituted the organic elements of 
the sood — the ashes remaining represents the imn-ganic 
elements. To ascertain the respective vahie of these, as 



72 IMcKSOiN's ami SmI'I'Ii's I'\\Iv'.\I liNMi. 



Idod Id)- crdps, is' (lone l)v :i |i|tl vi iiii llic nslics i)\' llic Icii 
liiislicis cdl loiisccd jiisl l)iirii('(l Id ii i;!\'cii (|n;ilililv d! 
I;iii<l iidliiii;' llic inci'cnsc df ci'dj) pi'ddiicls; ;iii(| llioi up 
piviiii;' Icii l)iisli('ls iii'ccii Cdl Idiisccd jo llic s;iiiic (piniililv 
of liiiid dcdiicl iiii>' llic prr cciil. iiiiidc dvcr iidlliiiii;'. 
This will slidw \\li;il \\:is prcdnccd liv llic driiiiiiic iiiiillcr 
(d llic Icii hiislicls seed, in cdiili'iidist iiicl idii Id wlinl wns 
pi'diliiccd liv llic iiidri;;iiiic cdiisl il iiciil (d' llic s;iiiie (pi:ill- 
lilvdfsced. As iilrcnd V sl;ilcd, \\li;il is t nic df cd| loiisccd, 
lidlds Iriic willi dllicr si'cds, ;iiid ;ill \'c;^('liil!le iiiiitlcr. 

\\\ dpiiiidii IS lli;i| dijc iuislicl df niw cdltdiisccd is 
Wdi'lli fdi' llic i^i-dwlli df phiiils, :is iiiucli ;is tlie iislics of diic 
liuiidrcd liiislnds (d' hiiriil seed. This 1 cdiisidcr a lair 
Icsl df llic dill'crciicc ill \aliic hclwccii llic phdsphalcs and 
alkalies dii ihc diic hand, and carhdii and ainnidiiia <>ii llic 
dllicr. 1 had Idiir hundred llidiisaiid pdiinds dl cdtldii 
and xt'ri\ hiiriied in one lidiisc. The wlidle residue as 
luamire was iicl worlli Id iiie as iiiiich as eiie llioiisand 
pdiinds iA' seed. 

As aiidlher iiislancc, i lliisl ral iii^' the disprdpert ion- 
ale NaliiC' (d' druaiiie and iiidrjuaiii<' snhslanccs as ('rd])-i;'rdW- 
crs: Take llic niannrc o\' leii lierscs ciic vear, di'dp])ed 
under cdver, and scl free (d' all di'Lianic parls hy iMirnini'; 

iherchy waslinti' Ihe aiiinidiiia. ddicn lake lh(> dr>p- 
[liiii^'s from a lil;e iiiiiiihcr of horses, dropped in like man 
iicr. I'se lliis oil Iwciily acres cdlldii use llic dllicr en 
Iwcniy acres ihe same kiml <A' land llieii planl Iwcnl'- 
acr(>s wilhdiil nny manure. ('iillnale all cxaelly alike, 
and ihe dilfereiicc in ci'dp prd(lncls will he a fair Icsl he 
Iwccii phdsphalcs and amiiidiiia as a ferlili/.cr. The dtily 
discdiinl (111 lliis Icsl is ihe faci llial llic edinniereial plids- 



plialcs lire iiiosllv iiisoliiMc llic ;iiiiiii(Hii;i hciiii;' iiIw-mvp 
soliiltic, or will 1m' ill due lime, wliicli is ii iircnl item in 
I'iivoc of jiiiiiiKmiii. 

With ;i full sii|)|)Iv of nil ronciioiis niid ('jirUniiiiccoiis 
iiiiillcr, ('(irii ;m(| colldii, clc, iii;iv Itc iii.'kIc willi imicli 
less, in proporl ion, of ixilasli nnd Ixinc ciirlli. Tnkc ;i 
('(►I'd (d" liliick- jiick wood oil ;i poor pine oi- l)l;i('k-i;i(d< 
vidiic w'licrc llicic is Iml liltlc oi'iijinic nnillcr, nnd scl llic 
orii'iinic niiiltrr free liv Imi'iiini;' the wnod ; llicii lake llic 
sccontl curd (d' MiK-k-jiick lr<ini ;i ncli hollciii, where llie 
nriiiinie niiiller ;d)nnnds in urciil (pninl il ies, ;ind relnl i\»d v 
in nineh lireiiler propofl ion lo llie inoriiiinic niiillcr; hni'ii 
lliis ;is von did llie lirsl eni'd. 'I he cord of wood from IIm 
poor hind, will ednliiin neni'ly fjonhle the (pmnlilv el 
phosphiile 'if lime iiiid poliish Mini exisis in llie wood froiii 
llie rich hind. All s(»:ipiii;ikcrs liaxc loiind lliis Inic ;is 
Ic poliish. 

All lliese cxpcri inenlnl fiicts, liikeii willi oiii' experience 
with the fcrl ili/.ini;' resnils (d' luniin^' under (do\'er, pe;is 
;iiid other x'ciict nhle crops, pro\'e iiiiniisliik;ih!v llnit iini- 
iiioiii;i is the che;ipesl ;ind niesi expeilit ions ineiins ol re- 
newing;,' ihe I'crlilily of hind, iiii I innkinii' il prodnctixT, in 
(•oni|);irisoii with the cinnniei'ci;! I pliospli;iles. which ;ire so 
^('iiei'iill\' insoliihle iis to pro\c iiiiiiost worlhless. 

i^'indinii' froiii the iiho\'e experinieiil tinit such ii hiri^c 
proporlion of phints conie Iroiii the ill inosphere, we ;ire 
l;in^'lil Ihe re;isoii wli\' w<' should ^row oreen crops :ind 
other crops to he Ihriied into llie hind, ;iiid Iroiii cvfvy 
s(inrce lo let lis iiilich ;i I inosphere into the soil :is po^sihle; 
heciinse the more oruiinic imitter we IniNc in ihe soil, the 
juore we (.'iiii cumniiuid jiiiiuiidly Iroiii llie iiiniosplun-c. 



T4 Dickson's ani> SMirn's I^'AiiMiNo. 



* * * "■^' I iiiii r<M' nil :iiiiiii:il iiiiiiiurc ;i soliihli; iiui 
iiiirc line llml, will i-cliini llic |»riii('i piil, or iil least, sev- 
ciil.y-livd |»cr cciil. of il, willi one iiiiiMlrcd iiini I wciily-fivc 
per ('('III. proCil, or doiiMc llic iii\i si iiiciil. I :iiii in favor 
III an iii\csl,iiiciil, llial never pleads I'oi- lime, or eoniplaiiis 
o| usurious iiil(U'('sl, or calls loi- relief or repndialion, Inil 
will piiiichially s(piare up accounts, willi one linndred per 
eenl. prolil. Siicdi an iii\'eslineiil, is soJiiMe 1)oti(>s and 
l*ern\iaii i;iiaiio. Lend il lo vonr land, in sniiis (d from 
li\'e lo lilleen dollars per aere, af six lo nine inonllis' lime, 
and if von do vonr diilv ploni:ii deep iiml eiilli\'ale slial 
low ilie pavmeiil. will Ke sure. ^ (Mir lam! will he l(dl in 
heller eoiidilioii; nioiiev will lie fnrnislie(l j,o pnl hack 
llici same aiiiionnl of manure the ne\l year, and ample 

• livdends made, l,o live on ami make oilier iiixcsl ineiils. 
riie w(ir(| "sfinmlafe" is improperly applied to manures, 
riaiils lia\(' no ner\'es for llieiii |o ac| ii|)on. WluMi yon 
see planis i^rowini;- \cry rapidly, |o which niannrc lias 
heeii applied do nol lliink lhe\' are drunk. '!'lie Iriilll is 
ihe maiiiire is solnlile and nol p( rmanenl ; and iho roofs 
(d' Ihe planis are ahsorhinii,' it, am! the hiades working" it 
up for the cro|). I have no use for a permaiieiil manure. 
If pernianeiil, il is not sol u hie ; i f nol sol u hie, i| luwer W'i II 
eiifer llici roots of the plants, and if il does not eiil.ci' 
the. iVHits of the |)laiits, your money is n'onc. IS^o 
inannre is woi-|h a eenl, if pei'inanent. 'I'lie Allanfio 
ocean would iiof h(^ permaneiil. il its supplies were cnf of! 
~i f ihe rain ceased, and all the ri\ers wer(! slop|)cd. 
Snpposinii' if le\(d at holtoiii as well as at l<ip, and one 
ihoiisand feel deep, still it would (Ivy up in less than two 
humlred vears a shorter lime lliaii solium lands in \'ii'- 





II 




i«9f » sn ^r'jvmi vm 



To Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

ginia have been cultivated. So, away with your perma- 
nent manures; but be ever vigilant to save all liome-rnadc 
manures possible, of every variety — pine straw and 
swamp mud included. Manipulate your sandy land with 
clay, your clay land with vegetable mold. Plough deep, 
rotate your crops, and rest your lands. Buy liberally of 
soluble manure, and save twice as much as if you bought 
none. Is there a single jdantcr wbo would lend money to 
be paid in equal installments of twenty years, with low 
interest? Yet if he uses permanent nuinures, he can not 
exjoect much better luck. Is there one that is unwilling 
to lend his money at six and nine months, have it under 
his control all the time, and get prompt payment — re- 
ceiving seventy-five per cent, of the principal, and one 
hundred and twenty-five per cent, profit? Give me the 
manure that will pay promptly, with good dividends! 
Do not he afraid that it will exhaust your land. Put the 
cottonseed l)ack, together ^\it]l the manure from the straw 
corn, oats and shucks', with the straw used to save the ma- 
nure and bed the stock ; also what the crops got from the 
atnuisphere. I would like to liave my land exhausted in 
that way. 

There is only so much corn and cotton in any manure, 
and the sooner you get it the better. It will pay. The 
loss wull be smaller, and only one year's work required. 
The same is true of land. Tliere is only material enough 
in it to make a given (puintity of corn or cotton, and the 
greater ([uantity you get each year the better. T^o not 
understand me that I am for exhausting land. Xot so. 
Each year put back more than you take from it. Accumu- 
late a large fund in soluble mold and other manure, and 



Organic and Inorganic Manures. 77 

never let it he said by posterity, that it is harder for them 
to live because you lived before them. • Leave your land 
better than jou found it. Iinprove agriculture, so that a 
given quantity of labor may produce double what it now 
does — double the capacity of the land. Then each agri- 
culturist will be able to consume four times as much as he 
does at present in necessiaries and luxuries. 

This can be done. During my day the planters' in 
Hancock county have doubled their crops. There were 
more planters in Hancock county who made ten bales per 
hand in 1861, than there were Avho made five bales to the 
hand in 1845. I repeat, buy Peruvian guano and dis- 
solved bones, and some salt and plaster, where the freight 
is not too high. Try on a small scale (or large, if you 
wish )all pure guanos and l)e governed by the result. 
For one, I will not touch a manipulated manure. 

It creates a middle man, to compete with me in bones, 
guano, etc. If there is anything to be gained by mixing. 
I want to make it myself and then I know also that it is 
pure. I want no manure that will not pay, without the 
addition to it of Peruvian guano. 

Suppose Dr. Pendleton had mixed his Peruvian guano 
with sand — half and half — it would have paid two hun- 
dred and twelve per cent ! Good ! But four hundred 
and thirty is better. 

-}j * * * -Qj using two hundred pounds of Peruvian 
guano per acre annually, you double the relative products 
of your growing crops', compared with land fresh from 
the forest, and with crops that have no guano. There- 
fore, you will get a douldc ]U'0|)OTtion from the atmos- 
phere. 



T8 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

It is even possible that enriching the land in Europe, 
has, to some extent, lessened the fertility of the atmos- 
phere in this country. The richer you make your land, 
the more you can draw from the atmosphere. 
* * * * I do not say this is the only plan, or the 
best plan; but it is one that will certainly improve your 
land, and pay good dividends, if you can get reliable la- 
bor. You have had my receipt for what I think one of 
the best manures, except I would add ten pounds of pot- 
ash, or one bushel of wood ashes. I leave it out for two 
reasons — the scarcity of potash, and the exhausted finan- 
cial condition of the country. This article is not de- 
signed to underrate superphosphates, but to show that 
ammonia is the cheapest and best of all manures', and that, 
judging by experience, it will not exhaust land, but may be 
the means of enriching it. If it fails, it is the man's 
fault — not that of ammonia. 

You will find some guanos advertised as permanent 
manures. I want to avoid that kind, for I think it is true 
of some of them at least, that when I use them, my crops 
do not remove them. I prefer the kind that will come 
to see me the first year, and bring a large interest, in the 
form of cotton, corn, wheat, etc. 

The true system in manuring is to get the manure l)ack 
the first year, with a living profit, and rapidly improve 
the soil up to its original capacity, and carry it beyond 
that in the same ratio as the increase. We are only ten- 
ants at will, and have no right to use the soil in a way to 
destroy its capacity to maintain the present population 
and its future increase. When the people understand 
the difference in an acre of land that will produce a hun- 



Organic and Inokganic Manures. 79 

dred pounds', and one that will produce five hundred 
pounds of lint cotton — that this difference exists in the 
present value of each of these two acres of land, we then 
will begin to improve our farms. 

The great inquiry is, on what kind of land to use the 
guano and other commercial manures. I say, use it on 
all lands' you plough or cultivate — or everywhere. 
* * * * All my practice and teaching has been that 
the use of manures I recoimneiid gave the fanner the 
means of making and using double the quantity of home- 
made manures. I again repeat this, and as well as I can, 
with demoralized labor, still practice upon it. I not only 
consider it hurtful to the purse, but sinful to waste ma- 
nures, or not to use the necessary precautions to save them. 
My motto is to increase the fertility of the soil in a 
greater ratio than the population increases'. My soil fur- 
nishes a portion of the food to raise fish and oysters in the 
Atlantic ocean, and if I can make a profit and improve 
my land by using the excrement of birds fed on fish, etc., 
it is my duty as well as my interest to do so. 

It has been truly said that "the true test of a general is 
success." I say, it is the only test that will do to try the 
farmer by. Some writers have greatly misrepresented 
me, in charging that I overlook the great profits of home- 
made manures. One reason why I use commercial fer- 
tilizers is, that I may save double the quantity of home- 
made manures. I make double the crops, have twice the 
amount of forage to feed away, and twice as much cotton- 
seed for manure.* * * 

It is true that I made fine crops before I used guano, 
bones, salt and plaster, but nothing to compare with crops 



so Dickson's aa'i> Smith's Farming. 

made with tlicui. It is self-sustaiiiing; it is punctual in 
[layuKMifs; ucx-cr repudiates or asks an extension of time; 
wants no stay-laws <»i' military orders; pays ])r(miptly, and 
on an averai>:e as much as one hundred and twenty-five 
per eent. and at other times as high as four hundred. It 
enahles one to make double the quantity of home-made 
manures ; improves the land ; gives the means of keeping 
nior(» and better stock ; improves crops ; makes the laborers 
more cheerful and willing to work ; ])uts money in the 
hands to d(» fancy farming; purchases' good machinery 
and tools; will aiford some luxuries as well as substan- 
tials; enables you to work freedmen, when they would 
bring you in debt witliout it. If 1 could realize all the 
profits on $12,000 to $20,000 worth of guano, T could do 
Avell throwing in the use of land, horse-power, tools, capi- 
tal to furnish supplies, together with my attention, which 
alone increases the crop more than one-half. * * * 

Guano pays back the purchase-money in cotton lint 
which is but little loss of matter, and the gnano furnishes 
more than that loss, and leaves a still larger amount in 
l^ocket. It enables one to plough twelve inches deep in a 
thin soil, inasmuch as the guano placed near the roots of 
plants, gives them vigor to go forth and find the soluble 
matter that is diffused so thinly through the land ; with- 
out the use of some concentrated manure, the plant would 
never have vigor to hunt up the crop fond so deeply mixed 
in the poor land. 

* * * * I will tell you something that guano did 
for me when I could direct labor and be obeyed. I made 
per hand ten to fourteen bales of cotton, eight hundred 
to twcdve hundred pounds of pork, one mutton, three- 



Organic and Inorganio Manures. 81 

fourtlis of a fat beef on tlircc hundred poiiuds, eight to 
ten. colts per year, with corn, wheat, oats, rye, etc. to sell, 
anionnf.ing to $100 ])er hand; to keej) one yoke of tine 
young oxen for excry three hands, to aid in hauling nuiek, 
straw, and manure generally; and keep two hundred acres 
of land nnder a good fence per hand ; six to seven head of 
cattle, ten to twelve head of hogs, five sheep per liand — 
all besides being a cotton planter. 

Instead of jDenning my stock to make manures, I let 
them graze the fields, and induced them to keep away 
from the swamps, by saving shade trees in the fields', and 
making straw-pens and shuck-pens, and j)lacing salt abont 
in convenient places. Stock while grazing, drop manure 
regularly over the field. I contend that this plan gives 
cheaper manure, more beef and less lal)or than any other. 
This plan paid me astounding profits in meat, manure 
and dollars, and, conjoined with other distinctive features 
of my plan of farming, has always returned me gratifying 
results. 

* * * * J jj-^yifg i\^^ reader to an aggregate view 
of my cotton production : Ten thousand persons' plant- 
ing as I do, would produce ten millions of bales of cotton 
(my crop in 1861 was one thousand bales, last year very 
little less.) The ten millions of bales at the present 
price, would give one thousand millions of dollars • one- 
half of this due to the use of the manure, would place 
five hundred millions of dollars to its credit ; deduct, 
then, the cost of the manure (one hundred and twenty 
millions), and it leaves three hundred and eighty millions 
clear profit, as the land will be benefited to the full 



83 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

amount of all the labor. I like such drains as that — it 
gives power and profit. 

* * * * In 1861, four thousand planters raising 
such crops as I did, would have made four millions of bales. 
Last }'ear, it would have taken but a few over two thou- 
sand planters, to have pro'duced a crop equal t(i tliat of 
18G1 (each making as much as I did) ; so you see the 
only thing we have to fear, from using guano, and making 
the most of it, is over-production. 

* * * * ^Q can purchase fifty miillion dollars 
worth of guano in its raw state, and clear one hundred 
millions of dollars on it in nine months, and expend noth- 
ing additional in manufacturing cotton and grain out of 
it. I say, do not let any foreigner have your dollars, 
v\7hen you can with certainty make two dollars' in nine 
months, clear of cost, for every dollar spent. 

If Dr. Pendleton and others, who seek to show the su- 
perior value of phosphates compared with ammonia, are 
right, what becomes of the green crop manuring? We 
have been taught to believe that it was the nitrogen added 
that paid for the time and expense. What also became 
of the rest system ? Dr. Pendleton's comments explode 
that too; nothing of importance being added, but carbon 
and nitrogen. What becomes of the British turnip sys- 
tem, or the Northern system of growing hay and grain, to 
feed stock to accumulate nitrogen with a loss of phos- 
jihates, etc., to increase future crops ? 

Why does the farmer, when he wishes to turn in a 
green crop, select the plants that contain the most nitro- 
gen, such as clover and peas ? It is because practice has 
proven their value. Take one thousand (1,000) bushels 




Pasture in Limestone Country. 



84 • Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

of cottonseed, now worth two hundred dollars, to manure 
with, set the nitrogen and carbon free hy fire, and what 
Avould you give for the phosphates and other salts left? 
I do not think they could be sold for ten dollars. 

Why is it that the rich lands in Kentucky, as they term 
it, tire when they are full of all mineral manures ? I will 
give you my opinion. It is, that the excess of lime, and 
perhaps other minerals, renders all nitrogenous matters 
soluble. The ammonia is soon given off to the plants, 
whilst the manure has not been returned. 

What is the remedy? Sow it down in that nitrogenous 
])lant, clover, and in two years the exhausted land is re- 
stored almost to virgin productiveness. From the earliest 
days to the present time, practice proves that nitrogen 
(auunonia) is the great crop grower. To command nitro- 
gen you must have all the necessary salts contained in the 
various plants. The more minerals, the more nitrogen 
you command ; the more nitrogen you store away in your 
land, the more you can obtain from the atmosphere. 

Fill your land Avith humus, to stick the sand together, 
and to darken it. This will prevent its reflecting the 
heat, and will cause it to receive it gradually, and part 
with it in the same way. These are some of the good re- 
sults, in addition to its manurial qualities. With clay 
land do the same thing, to render it open, and make it 
ploughable at all times. Plough deep and subsoil. Use 
all possible manures to be had on the place, and purchase 
largely of the best manures in the market. Get manures, 
as perfect plant-growers as can be found ; but you must 
have ammonia and soluble bone. 

* * * * I am for the plant that preserves the cap- 



Organic and Inohganic Manures. 85 

ilal best, and pavs llic lai-g-osl (lividciuls. 1 have no d(»ulit, 
that on g'ood cotton land, a fair yoar, \ could make one 
hundred hales of cotton, with one No. 1 mule; commence 
operations the first day of December; subsoil every acre; 
use twenty-five dollars' worth of manure per acre ; and 
finish the 1st of May ; cultivate sixty acres. 

The use of commercial fertilizers is ineiiri'ccflv objected 
tc by some. Double the productiveness of the land, and 
i: will be woi'th four tiines the present value. 



Chap IKK V. 
BKKy\KlN(; lw\NI)S. 

Ulic |triiiri|);il dbjccl in iM'ciikiiii;- land is to pulverize 
the soil, and i-cndor it mellow aii<l porous — to make it 
sndicicnllv lii;lil ami spoiiiiy lo calcli ami retain the s|)riii^ 
rains lur llie Ixiielit of (he summer crop; for, in cases of" 
hnt and drv summers, wliei'e Ihei-e is inad(M|nato rainfall, 
the iirowth, dexclopment and iinal mahu'ily of the croj) 
must de])end n])OM the supply of rainwater stoi-e*! away 
h_y the soil diiriiiii; the winter and spring' rains. 

Anothoi' ohjeet is to mix the soil; t<> |)laee the surface 
and richer soil deep nndei', whei'c it will attract the crop 
Idols lo a de])t.h that will proliH't Idiem from (he heat of 
sunnnci-'s sun, and where they will find moist ui-e to en- 
liven and invi^'orale llieni durini;' the summer drouii'lit. 

I'l'oper lireakin^' <d" laiuls places the surface littei', and 
all \(<iclahle nuiliei- that has accnundiUed upon the sur- 
face, d('c|) under where they ia|)iilly d('<*onipose and \yo.- 
come soluMe |»lanl food, 'idiis |)rocess, likewis(% hy turn- 
ini;' undei" this accumnlalion (d' lill(M', i-cMuoves it out ol 
the way of llui cnI(iva(or. Ft prev(Md.s (ho wastini>' eflFeels 
of washinc; rains duriufj; the sprinci; and early snninier. 

'V]\o paramount ohjeet, however, in all breakinij; of 
land, is lo so pnlvei-ize, nnx, deepen and soften the soil 
as (o emihle and invite the roots of the planted crops to 
readily ])enetrate, traverse and permeate the soil in search 
(d" such specific (dements of fo(»d as (lies(^ plants need for 
nonrishmi nl and urowlli. ddie soil Ixdonsjjs (o the planted 
crops, and shonld he placed in sntdi favorable physical 



Break I. \() Lands. 87 

condition as will render all its fertile clenients subservient 
to these crops. This eonstil.iilcjs tlu; work and real design 
of the cultivator -to utilize, to the fullest possible extent, 
the soil and all the adjuvant agencies of nature, for the 
production of luxuriant and fruitful cro])S. 

Land should he hi'okcii I'loiii ciglit lo twelve inches. 
Such as has' not been well hi'okcn, sliouhl be broken every 
year one or two inches decqx'r, until you get to tlu^ maxi 
mum, which 1 consider lo be twelve inclies, with six inches 
beyond as subsoil. 

The advantages of deep breaking are, that it protects 
the land, and enabkis it to retain moisture suffitdent to 
carry \\h' plant throngh any or(linary season of drought. 
1 have n(;v(M' known a year, but that, with proper break- 
ings pi'opei- manuiMiig, an<I surface culture, you could 
make an average crop. 'Idi(>re is no sucli thing as fail- 
ure, when man does his duly in llie pr(unis(^s. l-*rovidence 
has |)rovid(Ml all the necessai-y means to make a compe- 
tency. While the land is fresh broke and porous' the 
roots penetrate and occupy the whole of the soil, and come 
down into the subsoil that is broken. During the cultiva- 
tion, the rain on the land settles the soil to the roots of the 
plants, and enables' them the more completely to draw all 
the solubles matter out of the earth. The settling on the 
roots has been proved valuable in more ways than one. F 
will f)nly mention the difference in time it takes seed to 
conic; u|i when the liarth is ])ressed clgsely to them, and 
when it is scaltcrfMl loosely ov(m' them. rhey will come 
up in twenty-Hv(! to s(!venty-five j)er cent, less tinu; when 
the earth is ])acked moderately around them. 

There is a great variety of ploughs, all answering nearly 



-'^S Dickson's and Smitji^s Farmixg. 

the same purpose. The plough that is set so as to screw 
tlie land over with the least draft, or to pass it up the in- 
clined phiiic (.!■ iii()ld-l)(i;ij'il the casit.st ,is the bc^ht. The 
principal objection to this kind of plough is its liability to 
break, and its high cost. I find the cheapest plough I 
have ever used is a wrought-iron turn-plough of the make 
of the old ^'Allen" plough, now called by many people the 
"Dixon" turn-plough. It should contain from twenty 
to thirty pounds of iron, according as to whether you wish 
to use one or two horses, and cut from seven to ten inches 
as you may wish to use one or two horses. 

I would say, where the soil dees not reach more than 
from four to ten inches, I would })refer the common 
long scooter of four to live inches width to subsoil with, 
until you obtain a depth of soil of from nine to twelve 
inches. The reason why I woidd use the scooter is be- 
cause it mixes a portion of the soil every year with the 
subsoil. After a sufficient depth of soil is obtained, I 
should prefer plows that are known as subsoil lifters, 
I have no doubt that subsoiling every year would in- 
crease the crops more than if you subs'oiled once in a ro- 
tation. I would prefer to subsoil every year for cotton, 
because cotton is the best pa}ing crop, and you would 
feel the extra cost less. I have subsoiled for both corn 
and snuill grain with satisfactory results. 

Breaking must be commenced in time to do it full 
and well by planting time. Usually, it should be com- 
menced by the first of December, and not later than the 
first of Januai'v. In this climate, on my farm in Han- 
cock county, it is best, taking ten years together, that the 
breaking be done not more than ten days before planting 



i RE A KING J^ANDS. 



Lands, l 89 



time; this, however, we know to he iiiii)racticable in many 
cases. My reasons for late ploughing are based on prac- 
tical observation. In warm, wet winters, the land is 
much damaged by washing and leaching, by early break- 
ing, and runs together closer than it would if the ground 
had not been broken. In cold, dry springs and winters, 
I have found the early ploughing to do much the best, but 
from observation I find that we have only about one of 
them in ten years. If I lived in a cold climate, I would 
recommend to break early and deep, where the ground 
freezes' from seven to twelve inches or over, where the 
rains are not so heavy, and a large portion of the time tlie 
land is covered with snow. In all climates above 36 de- 
grees, I would give it as my opinion, that land would be 
materially benefited by fall ploughing, and the further 
north you go on that line, the more benefit would be re- 
ceived from fall ploughing. The freezes and snows 
would make up for all the disadvantages' that apply to the 
line south of 33 degrees. I do not consider it a question 
when to begin breaking land ; the point is, you must be 
gin in time to do the work before planting, and take all 
the advantages and disadvantages that may come ; and 
the better the breaking is done, the easier the land is 
cultivated, and the larger the crops. I always consider 
the p?^eparation the half, and the heaviest half, of mahing 
the crop. 

No step in the whole process of agriculture can be 
considered so absolutely essential to successful crop- 
growing as proper and thorough preparation of the soil 
before planting. We need to turn in the surface soil 
with the vegetable matter. We want a large extent of 



00 I)|<:KS<)n's ANI» SmI'I'Ii's I'\\I>'M IN((. 



Koil :iihI iI('|)||i of |iiilv('i'i/:il idii, lM'CiUlH<' iJu; I'oul.s of 
|)l:iiil.s :irc iiiiiiiy limes loii^t^' lliiiii I he liiiihs iiiid Miiilkn, 
HdiiM'l iriK'S ^oin^' ;is iiiMiiy iis live liiii(\s nr six limes l,lin 
h^ii^'lli <»r tlic liiiihs iiiid sliilks of (•(►Ml iiiid colloii. Wo 
w.'iiil, ;i well |)iilvcri/.('(l soil of siilliciciil dcplli lo liikci ill 
Irom |,li(! spring niiiis :i Hiipply (il wiilcr sulliciciil Id 
move (iir lli(! yoiiii^' (-rops in tliti spriii/i,' niid (tiirry lliciii 
MilVIv llifdii^'li ci^lil, or Icii weeks of droii^iit. To lliis 
end, voii miisl, Imve :i soil (d l\vel\'e in(tli(%s iiiid siilisoil 
six iiiclies Ueyoiid. 

Now lis !(► llie inelli(Ml of procedure: llnsc ^noil 
I iiniiiiii;' plows, iiiid, iiccordint.'; lo your idiilily, n^(^ one oi' 
I w'o horses, iiiid siil)Soil heliind. K'ide o\('r llie fndd or 
|il:il, iind l:iy (dV llie l:iiid so |li;i| llie leiinis will i!,<) round 
on :i le\il, iind lli(> dirl fnil down liill. A hiiim will 
hreiik llie soil nine iiielies deep in lliis w;iy iis ejisily ;is 
lliey could se\'eii iindies on ii le\(d piece (d" liind. ( *oii- 
liiiiie lliis round iiiilil llic II(dd is iinislied one Iciiiii fok 
lowing iinotlier ;ill llie lime ,i!,(>iii,i!,' round the c/ir(de. 
If yon sniisoil Inive one le;iiii follow e;ich I iiniini;' plow- 

riinniii^' in llw^ liolloin of llie furrow. h'inish in ihe 
middle of Ihe fhdd or ciil. In lliis' wiiy no Wiifer f n r 
rows lire hdl: lo he wnsheil <iii| into aidlies, iind Ihe ,i;'en- 
eriil siirf;ic(> (d' ihe iield is hdl uniformly smooth. 

If you wish :i fort lo sliind :i hoi. ;iiid profnicled ill- 
hick, \dii must wnler :ind provision, ;is well iis mini it, in 
order Ihiil it iiiiiy Indd out iiiilil the sie^'c is riiiscd 'I'e- 
ineinlierini;' one diiy iin|»ro\ ided for niiiy pro\'e fiiliil ; so 
if \(Mi wish :i cotloii phinl or ;i corn-slnlk !(► shiiid n 
hot Iniriiint;' siiii, nnd ;i Av\ iiorthwcst wind, fi-oin four lo 
1(11 weeks, iind coiikv out s;il"(dy, yon must wiitcr iind put 





tf 



92 I)k;kson's anj) Smith's Farming. 

in sufficient soluble food to last. How is that to be 
(lone? T3y deepening the soil, |)loughing deep, subsoil- 
ing, and tilling it with hunuis, that it may retain the 
greatest aiiioiint of water. The soil is like a sponge, if 
too porous, water will sink through it ; if too close, it 
will hold hut little. I find that humus', clay, and a due 
|ii'o|)(>i't ion of sand, constitutes the best soil to succeed 
under all cii'cunistances, with soluble ])lant food in 
abundance. 

An over estimate as to the practical importance of 
dee]) and thorough breaking of lands for the cultivated 
ci'ops can not be made. It is an absolute necessity, one 
(d" tli(! iiidis])ensab]es in all successful farming. A grain 
of corn, or seed of cotton inserted into a soil of half an 
inch of depth will readily germinate and sprout up uu 
del- (he inspiration of vegetalde instinct; but for want of 
depth of soil, these j)]ants soon wilt, and perish away 
fiMiitless. To produce prolific crops, or even to repro- 
duce their kind, they must have, not only fertile, but 
deep. soil. ITenoe, we emphasize what we know from 
long practice and hard-earned experience. Plow deep; 
turn your land under from eight to twelve inches, sub 
merging the surface soil, with all the litter- and vegetable 
matter deep under. Plow deep, for the purpose of well 
and throughly pulverizing the s:oil and making it loose, 
permeable and tillable. Plow deej), and subsoil, to give 
\our crop roots depth of range, and capacity of reservoir 
that will secure them sufficiency of moisture for any 
emergency of divMight. Deepen your subsoiling to that ex- 
tent that will furnish safety in any ]>ossible or probable 



1jijkak'i.\<; Lands. iiJj 

]»('i;i(l\-{ lit lire, np lo a Icii weeks' drouth — (see article 
on the ''Cultivation of Cotton" on that point). 

The reader will permit me to recur to a point of im- 
portance connected with the subject of turning lands, 
which was omitted in its proper place. I allude to the 
popular impression, entertained by many, that it will not 
do to turn the clay subsoil to the surface, for the reason 
it will injure the land, and prevents the crops from grow- 
ing off promptly. Now this is all myth ; one inch of 
clay, each year, over a good soil, will do no harm in any 
land. The clay turned to the surface will, by operation 
of the ehemieal elements of the atmosphere becomes vital- 
ize(l, and so changed chemically as to assume the pro])er- 
ties of the fertile soil. Many a red-clay fortification in 
Georgia, during the late war, has demonstrated this fact, 
by producing on the very height of the embankment the 
most luxuriant weeds. Hence the exposure of the clay 
to the atmosphere transforms it into a fertile soil, and 
thus, to that extent, deepens the soil, and at the same 
time shields the tender roots of tiic planted crops from 
the hot suns' of early sunmicr, and until the cultivator 
comes along to break the crust, and let in the air, light 
and luiat. So, turning a stratum of subsoil (day to the 
surface not only docs not injure the land, but contrib- 
utes to deepening the soil by vitalizing its organic ele- 
ments, and making them productive. 

I take the ground that if my system be carried out as 
L whole, there is no use to break the ground but once a 
year. It requires till the first of May to do it right, and 
that is soon enough to finish. Then the sweep instead of 



94 Dickson's and Smith's Fauming. 

the bull-tong'iie for cultivation. If you depend upon the 
latter you will loose two-thirds of your crop. 

An important precaution in breaking lands is', never 
plow when the land is wet. Let it sufficiently dry after 
each rain to crumble and disintegrate when raised by the 
plow. The soil should never be plowed when it so wet as 
for the particles to adhere or stick together in lumps. 
When thus ploughed wet, the soil dries off hard and crusty, 
and to a certain extent, loses its assimilable character, 
and hence is injured to that extent ; clay so-ils are greatly 
damaged by being plowed when wet. It must always be 
remembered that the principal object in breaking lands is 
pulverization. 

There is no necessity for breaking lands a second time 
during the season, or for the same crop, if it has been 
w(dl done, and sufficient carbon and vegetable mold in- 
corporiitcd into the soil. Lands ^hat 'have thus been 
])re])are(l by breaking, and planted in crops, bec(une the 
domain, the private territory, of these crops, and should 
not again be invaded by the plowshare, but left to the 
tender care of the surface cultivator. 



Cjiaptkh VI. 
CULTIVATION OK OROPS. 

The main objrcts of cultivating crops arc, lo keep the 
Vv'eeds and grass from drawing tlie substance from the 
plants, and to keep the surface broken so as to let in light, 
heat and air. If a small amount of loose earth is on top, 
it prevents the surface from heating too rapidly by day, 
and acts as a blanket to kecj) the earth from discharging 
the heat too rapidly at night. This small fine pulveriza- 
tion on top, say from a half to an inch, comes to the dew 
piiint much earlier than a solid body, .and absorbs' moist- 
ure and the elements of the atmosj)here much earlier in 
llie night and more rapidly. Ft t-etains the elements of 
the atmosphere to be washed deeper down when it rains, 
and protects any further evaporaliftn below the moisture 
until that is discharged. 

T consider it just as deleterious to cut the roots of a 
plant as J irould to cut ilie veins of an ox when I ha.vr» 
hi III fattening. The object of the roots is lo penelrate 
in every direction the surface and the depth below, to 
gather the food and send it up to the blades to be elabo- 
rated by them into food for the stalks and the grain. Tf 
the roots are cut off, the whole supply of nutriment is 
cut off; if enough roots are left in deep ploughing to pre- 
vent the plant from dying straight out it may be recuper 
ated for awhile, but it would have the same effect as put- 
ting an ox on half feed when he is fattening. 

Vegetable mould opens the particles of clay, and so 
mellows the soil that the roots of the plant may easily 



96 Dickson's and Smith's I^'ak'MINg. 

penetrate; and it so closes the piii'liclcs f)f sjind ms Io 
enable the soil to retain moisture. Hence there is nf) 
positive necessity of breaking such land a second time 
during the same crop-season. To break the surface crust 
occasionally, to destroy the grass and weeds, and admit 
the atmospheric gases, light and heat, is the object of 
crop culture. Hence, my practice of surface culture. 

The practice of root cutting is so absurb, and so vio- 
late of the evident design of nature, that I have in all 
my farming ax'oided the uisi cf plows that cut ('cc]) 
enough to reach the roots of plants that I am cultivating. 
These roots are put forth in accordance with the laws of 
vegetable life, to collect nnd appropriate nutrinuMit to 
the growing crops. These i-oots ami fibrils permeate the 
soil in every direction, and to the utmost depths of the 
broken soil, and traversing entirely aci-oss the rows, in- 
stinctively seek the richer s])ots of soil. To cut these 
I'oots is simj)ly doing violence to luit urea's laws and se- 
riously frustrating her designs. 

In my pi'actice of sui-face-cullure, I use a broad, shal- 
low-cutting sweep, that simply bi'caks tlie cr\ist, and run- 
ning not deeper than from lialf an inch to one inch. The 
following is a description of, and directions for makinii' 
and using this cultivator: 

Ttik Dickson Swkep. 

The stem should be of iron, thr(>e inches wide and 
tliree-fourths of an iiudi thick. It should be cut s(]uare 
off of a bar, fourteen oi' fifteen and a half inches long, 
heaving five and a half inches stem above the wing to 



Ciji/rivATioN <>i' (Jkots. 97 

coino on the foot of the plough. 'Vhe balance of the .sletri 
is to put the wing on, and to form the point, 'i'lio use 
of the point is, that you can hold the sweep much more 
steadily, and it acts as a rudder to keep every little bunch 
of grass or twig from throwing it out of its position. 1 
liiid the most valuable size to be from twenty-two to 
twenty-six inches, never less or more. The wings should 
be cut out of the best Swedes iron, just half the l(!Jiglli 
of the width of the sweep. The width of the iron in tlio 
wings should be three and a half inches by one-half inch, 
and they should be cut diagonally across the iron, vary- 
ing about one inch from the true line, and when the 
wings are put on, liie end of t\\v. wings should lack very 
littli! of l)(ung in a straight Mik; with llie upper end of 
the stem. If put square on, they would not discharge 
the dirt, on account of too great a slope, and they won hi 
dodge for every little resistiiiicc, instead of ciitliug it. 
The sweep should be })ul on tlic stock so tliiil, when powci- 
ih applied on the end ol" tlic, bciiiii it, would not, be in- 
clined to go in or come out, of tlu^ uround. 'I'ln'y slionid 
always be kept sharj), if I lie sinitli luis to work on tlicni 
once a day. They will usuiilly bist from llircc lo ten days 
w i th o u t sh a rp(! n i n g. 

In contra-distinction to tihis' strictly surfacci-culture, 
the popular practice of deep plowing witli rfK)ters or 
turn-plows — thus rebreaking the land at every plowing 
of the crop, is practically absurd, and acts as a stunning 
blow to every (irof) thus treated. 

Whilst, in the pre[)aration of the land for planting, 
the plowing should be — in all — eighteen inches, the cul- 
tivation should not be deeper than above stated ; but the 



98 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

farmer who prepares his land by breaking it * eighteen 
inches deep, and cultivates six inches, deep, will injure 
his crops less than the farmer who prepares six inches 
deep and cultivates six inches deep. In the one case — - 
the roots having twelve inches of prepared land to oc- 
en]w, and in the other, no space at all not interrupted by 
the root-cntter. 

Nature is exact, and puts forth no superfluous roots to 
growing plants! Hence every root should be spared. 

It is astonishing how quickly ami rapidly the roots of 
a young plant will spring out, and traverse a mellow soil, 
and how speedily the tap-root will reach the hard sub- 
soil beneath, and end its quest in tliat direction. Hence 
every plowing in cultivation that is deeper than one inch 
must destroy more or less of the plant roots; but undei 
my system of preparing, planting and cultivating, as a 
genei'al remark, T cut no roots. kSoils ]daiit;(l in crops 
I'plong to these crops, and the cultivator has no right to 
invade it with his plowshare during the groAvth and de- 
\'ol<»pment of these crops. To liest promote the pro- 
cesses of nature in maturing these crops, he has only to 
break the surface crust occasionally to destroy extraneous 
growths and admit the light and atmospheric gases to 
the under soil. This is sufficiently effected by the sur- 
face culture proposed, and by the Dickson Sweep above 
described. The true philosophy of crop cultivation re- 
quires nothing more. To violate this principle and prac- 
tice is to damage the crops. 

Furthermore, it is great economy of time and labor to 
sweep your crops with a twenty-two inch sweep instead 
of breaking again, every three weeks with a bull-tongue 



Cultivation of Chops. 99 

three or four inches wide. Cultivation with such an im- 
])loiiient makes (Ii\'i(]cii(ls iin]:<)--:i!:l( . Th( re is no use 
for ihe second breaking with luill-tongue or rooters to 
make the most out of hind or labor. The sweep will 
give you larger dividends because you can cultivate a 
much larger area, and <h) it upon more conservative prin- 
ciples. 

It is not only important that the plowing of crops 
shonld be done shallow, so that the roots of the plants 
may escape cutting, but the same care and tenderness 
should be observed in the hoeing of crops. The term 
'^chopping cotton" should be expunged from the farmer's 
vocabulary. Cotton should be thinned by shaving out 
across the drill — and not dug out by "chopping." Let the 
hoe pass level through the drill, and just deep enough to 
shave off the cotton and grass', barely breaking the sur 
face crust, and finish the thinning with the hand, if nec- 
essary. The ridge or bed should not be rudely cho]iped 
down leaving the tender roots of the cotton bare, or in a 
crippled or falling condition. To break u]) its attach- 
ments to the soil, leave it in a tottering condition, or cut 
off its tap-roots just under the crust soil, is positively 
Imrffnl to the plants. It cripples and stunts them, and 
tliey often perish. I ro]ioat, shave lightly nnd do not 
dii>' al)out your plants. 

The same is true of other crops. Digging about corn, 
if liill it, is often hurtfnl. Deep ])loughing, or digging 
alxuit, forking or spading crops in the cultivation, is all 
wronoj. 



Chapter VII. 

CULTIVATION OF CORN. 

Preparation of the Land. 

If you cover deep you lose all the advantages of deep 
planting (but not deep breaking) ; and for this' reason- 
corn, in good weather, will come up from a depth of one 
to six inches, but will strike out roots about one inch 
from the surface of the ground, and all below that will 
perish. That is one reason why I am opposed to dirting 
corn as it comes up. It brings the roots of the stalk to 
the top of the ground. 

If any hills' should be missing, it should be immedi- 
ately replanted as soon as the corn comes up, and it will 
be just as forward as the other coru. If more than one 
grain be dropped, just as soon as the stalks have three 
blades they should be thinned to one — never having more 
than one stalk in a hill. 

Cultivation. 

It is not necessary to commence working corn before 
the 20th of April to the 1st of May. One reason for 
this is that earlier working is a loss of time, and if the 
com plant is hilled up before there are lateral roots to 
it, the plant roots all below an inch or inch and a half 
will perish, thereby losing all the advantages of putting 
the corn in deep, but no loss from the deep preparation. 
My plan is to finish working from the 20th of April to 



OtTLTIVATION OF CoRN, 101 

the 25tli of May. With the land well turned verv little 
grass and weeds will come np, except in the bottom of 
the furrow^ which will be easily managed. 

First Working. 

I would side with a twenty-two inch sweep, the back 
of the right wing elevated about one inch and a quarter, 
so as to sift in dirt to make it about an iuch of being on 
a level with the common surface. The middle can be 
broken with the same size sweep, the back of both wings 
elevated, finishing out the seven feet with four furrows. 
A horse should plough three and a half acres a day, and 
four hands completing fourteen acres every day, by going 
sixteen miles a day. 

Second Ploughing. 

This work, if well done, will stand from three to four 
weeks. It should be ploughed just as at first, with the 
I'ight wing of the sweep a little more elevated, running 
very close to the corn — leaving a perfectly level surface, 
and finishing out the middle with three furrows. Add a 
fifth furrow for making a good place for planting peas. 
Fives' horses should plough fourteen acres a day. If the 
plowing be well done there is no use for a hoe. 

Planting Peas. 

From the 1st to the 20th of June is the time to plant 
peas. This should be between the second and third 




The Oi-i) Idkal of Cokn: Murn 
Stalk. Litti.k Eau. 



Cultivation of Cokn. 103 

]ilonghing — running a shovel furrow in the niichUo of the 
corn rows. One hand can drop for one plough. Drop 
six or sevfn peas a distance of not over tAvo feet — cover- 
ing with a harrow. Two hands and one dropper will 
plant sixteen acres per day. If the farmer can spare the 
time and means, it will pay to guano his peas, 

Thikd Ploughing. 

This is to be the last and final ploughing. It should 
not exceed half an inch in depth. Side the corn with a 
twenty-two inch sweep, the right wing elevated, and the 
left wing one-half elevated. Side the peas with a twen- 
ty-six inch sweep, the right wing half elevated, the left 
wing elevated, going a half-inch deep. If this be well 
done, it leaves a beautiful inch of surface — not a buncli 
of grass in the pea or corn row. No hoe hands are ever 
needed in the cultivation if the plough hand does his duty. 
Should the hand who sides the corn leave a bunch of 
grass, he should get it with his' hand or foot. This will 
make him more careful to do the work right ; and he can 
go his sixteen and two-thirds miles a day, take care of 
his horse, and do everything that is necessary to be done. 

This is the last ploughing; if well done, the ground 
will be almost as smooth and level as a floor, with not a 
sprig of grass to the two hundred acres, nor a weed to be 
seen in the field. In old times, I required every hand to 
clean the crop as he went — what the plough left, to be re- 
moved with the foot and hand. From thirteen to six- 
teen miles, according to the condition of the crop, was a 
day's work. 



104 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

Such pine land as mine (some of it very poor) should 
niake from twenty to twenty-five bushels per acre ; and 
wet or dry, if the work is rightly done, there is no such 
thing as a failure. 

All the labor required to cultivate corn is less than one 
day per acre ; requiring only thirteen days to cultivate 
fourteen acres; and if well done, it will get the largest 
crop out of the land that is possible to get any one year. 
To plant the pea crop costs only one-eighth of a day per 
acre in the ploughing, and one-sixteenth of a day's work 
per acre to drop it. This will make the corn and pea 
crop, after the land has been prepared, require only one 
day's work per acre. 

The reader will note in the above account of my plan 
of corn culture — a practical solution of the proposition — 
"do not cut the roots of growing crops." 

In the first ploughing, the sweep did not reach Avithin 
several inches of the surface roots of the corn. Hence, 
not a root was touched. In the second ploughing, the 
sweep is to run not exceeding one inch deep. This one 
inch win not reach even the surface around the corn, and 
its roots being below, can not be reached by a ploughing 
running one inch deep — so, the roots have escaped the 
two first ploughings. The third and last ploughing goes 
only half an inch deep and hence misses the plant roots 
again and not a root has been cut during the entire cul- 
tivation of the crop. 

Clay lands will bear the same treatment as sandy 
lands with the same result and with less difficulty. If 
you have two hogs fattening, one white, representing 
sandy land, the other red, representing red land, and you 



CULTIVATIOISI OF CoRN. 105 

cut the veins and let out the blood every two or three 
weeks the result would be the same — ^jusr so cutting 
the roots of corn every two or three weeks, on red or 
sandy land, would involve the same loss. I do not care 
Vv'hat color your land is, or whether sand or clay, if 
you keep up a full supply of vegetable mold, break 
deep before planting, and cultivate lightly afterwards, 
the same results will be good, wet or dry. 

This method of deep planting and shallow covering 
forces the plants to take root deeply — ^at the bottom of 
the mellow soil, which retains moisture for a long time 
without additional rains ; and, hence, I say that I can 
make an average crop of corn with one or tAvo rains after 
it comes up. The ample distance I give corn, likewise 
helps to economize the water supply and keep the crops 
green and growing during drought. 

The most palpable sources of failure in the produc- 
tion of the corn crop are four-fold : 

1st. Not keeping a sufficient quantity of vegetable 
mold in the land. 

2nd. Ploughing too shallow in preparing for the crop, 

3rd. Planting too thick. 

4th. Cultivating too deep. 

With slave labor before the war, my last crop was as 
follows : On one thousand acres of thin pine land, eigh- 
teen bushels of corn per acre was the lowest average. 
The highest average I ever made on this land was twenty- 
six bushels and one peck per acre. The lowest acre pro- 
duced tweh^e bushels, and the highest thirty-eight bushels 
on upland, with two thousand stalks per acre. It was 
easy to find ears of corn that weighed twenty ounces. 



106 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

Pulling Blades. 

There is great diversity of opinion as to the pnllino- of 
fodder. I have found by practice, that if the '^Coni- 
ponnd" is used, especially salt and plaster, the corn will 
be fully matured before the fodder begins to damage, and 
it will be mnch heavier than if it Avas not nsed, and there 
will be no loss of corn whatever from pulling the blades. 
There is no food that stock likes better than well-matured 
fodder, nicely cured. Those who have a different opin- 
ion, and have made a test of the corn, have always pulled 
the fodder too soon. The object is, first, to cultivate corn 
for the sake of the corn ; and when the corn has made all 
ii can make, there can be no objection to saving the fodder. 

With deep preparation, liberal manuring, and \hv 
ground kept clean by shaving off the grass with the swe(>p, 
the corn will be made and hard, while the fodder is still 
green and good. Then the fo-ldor may be pulled off with- 
out hurting the corn in the least. Fodder may be kept 
green on the stalk two or three weeks after the corn is 
hard, by using salt and plaster aronnd the hill as a ma- 
nure. There is no better food for stock than fo(ldcr well 
saved. 

Preserving Corn. 

Having been often called upon to ansAver the (piestion, 
how to preserve corn, and not having had time to an- 
swer such letters, T will give my practice. 'No other corn 
can be kept loTig but sound, pure corn. Use the yellow 
flint variety for long keeping. That corn you wish to 



Cultivation of Corn. 107 

keep the longest, let it thoroughly cure in the field, pull 

it when it is thoroughly dry, from the middle of Novem- 
ber to the middle of December, put into a dark house, fill 
it full. This corn will stay till you use it. I should 
have mentioned that I always put it up in shuck, put it in 
as close as possible ; and if a rat-proof house is used, so 
much the better. 

Time for Planting. 

In deciding this question, you must be governed by the 
season and the weather. From the 10th of March to 
the 1st of April, corn planting may be commenced. A 
mild and favorable winter, with flattering indications of 
opening spring, will invite you to commence your plant- 
ing as early as the 10th of March. But should the spring 
be a little late, the ground still cold and the weather un- 
favorable, you may safely and with better policy, defer 
planting till the middle, 20th, or even to the last of March. 
These instructions apply to sections on or near the 33d 
degree north latitude. Of course, further south corn can 
be planted earlier ; and further north much later. Ac- 
cordingly to my experience, the farmer only gains hard 
work and more of it, by very early planting. 

In the Southern and Middle States, the corn-growing 
season is abundantly long to allow the planter to select 
his planting time. Corn is an annual, and under proper 
system of culture makes and matures its crop speedily. 
Planted while the gTOund is still cold, it does not spring- 
up and grow off promptly; but the plant, loitering for 
want of warm sun and soil, becomes puny and more or 



lOiS Dickson's and Smitil's Farming. 

Irss stunted in its growth, and can never make such a 
luxuriant crop as when it grows off promptly. There is 
no sense in ])lanting a summer crop in the winter. As 
!i single crop, to make the heaviest yield, T would plant in 
April, hnt only advise the earlier planting to conform its 
( (dture to the combined schedule of corn and cotton to- 
gether. The best crop I ever made was planted about 
the first of May. 

Distance. 

The first thing is to settle the capacity of your land 
to produce corn, as to the number of bushels in an ordi- 
nary year, and never exceed one hundred and thirty-three 
stalks to the bushel. Seventy-five stalks can be made to 
yield a bushel, and I have made a bushel off of fifty stalks' 
the field over. Taking land that will make from ten to 
thirty bushels of corn to the acre, T would have rows 
seven feet apart, and drop the grains three feet distant 
in the distance given above, there will be twenty-one square 
feet for each stalk of corn. If there should be enough 
soluble matter in that space for two or even three ears, 
one stalk will take it up ; but if there is only matter 
enough for one ear of corn, and you put two stalks, and 
water is scarce at earing time, you will miss gathering — 
even that one ear. Again, if it be a dry year, thin plant- 
ing will always beat; and corn always commands a better 
price such years. 

The higher the latitude Avhere corn will ripen before 
frost the thicker it may be planted, and the more it will 
make per acre — other things being equal. But I contend 



Cultivation of Corn. 109 

that two thousand stalks are enough for one acre in the 
latitude of Middle Georgia. Under no circumstances 
Avould I advise more than one hundred and thirty-three 
stalks' to the bushel of corn the land ought to make per 
acre, I have made one bushel of corn for every fifty-two 
stalks in the field. In planting richer lands, that would 
bear say three thousand stalks or more per acre, I would 
lay the rows six feet one way and regulate the distance in 
the drill, so as to give the number of stalks desired. 

The most universal, fatal error in raising corn is, 
planting it too thick! Give it distance, and seek to make 
ear not stalk — grain instead of fodder. 

Planting. 

Lay off your rows with a long shovel plow, on a level, 
seven feet apart. Commence at the opposite end with n 
longer shovel, and open out the same furrow. The reason 
for running this second furrow in the opposite direction 
is, you get up to the trees and stnmps', and make a better 
finish at the end. 

Whether you use compost, cottonseed, guano or my com- 
pound, let each hand have a three-foot measure, and by it 
deposit the manure in the bottom of the furrow just three 
feet apart. Then drop the corn within three or four 
inches from the manure — one or more grains in the hill — 
dropping on the near side of the manure as the dropper 
goes. With a very light harrow, cover the corn one or one 
and a half inches deep. The harrow should go the same 
way the dropper goes' to keep from pulling the manure on 
the grain, and thus destroying its germinating powers. 



110 1 Dickson's and Siniith's Farming. 

The com is now in tho groniid eiolit inches deep, and 
covered from one to one and a half inches. It will ger- 
minate and (Quickly come np. and spnd out not only its 
tap-root to the depth of broken soil, biii fateral roots in 
every direction se\'en inches beb)'v the common surface. 



Chapter VIII. 

CULTIVATION OF COTTON. 

Distance of Kows. 

As in iny plan of pve]iarini> laml fdv cow, and layinu' 
off the rows, tlie qnestion of distance oecnrs. j\Iy early 
impressions, dictated by reason and knowledge of the 
natural history of the cotton plant, its nature, habits, etc., 
decided me to give the crop good distance in the row, to 
allow room for proper cultivation, and fi'ee access of air 
and sunlight to this sun-plant. 

I prefer to have my rows wide apart, and leave the 
plants thick in the drill, for this reason: All land has 
its capacity, with or without manure, but greater in pro- 
portion to manuring and deep preparation, to sustain a 
certain luunber of plants. The cotton plants, when still 
small, commence to take on and mature bolls, and con- 
tinue until they exhaust the soluble matter, or reach the 
full capacity of the land. Two stalks will do that much 
sooner than one, and will so avoid late droughts, cater- 
]>illar, boll-worm and early frosts. For all good, medium 
and thin grades of lands I find that four feet is near 
enough to have the rows ; richer lands re(juire more dis- 
tance. 

In very rich land the distance between the rows may be 
from four to six feet; probably some of the Mississippi 
bottoms may want eight feet. No land is so poor that tln^ 
rows of cotton should be nearer than fonr feet. If von 



Cultivation ok Cotton. 113 

have not land enough to plant as much as you wish, pur- 
chase more. A four-foot row will make more than a three- 
foot row ; it is just as eas_y cultivated, if the season is 
favorable, and more easy if they are not. 

Preparation. 

With large shovel plough lay off your i-ows four feet 
apart, running them as near on a level as possible. Run 
n second furrow with same size but longer shovel, in the 
bottom of the same row, opening it well out and to the 
depth of seven or eight inches. In this furrow deposit 
the fertilizer intended to be used, with the hand or fer- 
tilizer sower, at the rate of from four hundred to a thou- 
sand pounds per acre. With a long scooter plough, run 
deeply on each side of this row, covering the manure and 
leaving a small, sharp ridge in the center. Run the same 
plough deeply in these furrows a second time, or, a onod 
subsoil plough, if preferred. Now, with a good turn- 
plough, run on the side of each of these scooter furrows, 
and scooter furrows in each of these turn-plough furrows. 
Split out the remaining middle with a large shovel as 
deep as the team will pull it. That finishes the bed. 
Continue this process the field over ; nine furrows' finishing 
each row. It will leave a broad, flat bed, just over the 
middle of which the seed are to be planted. 

I will now give you a plan that will carry the cotton 
plant through eight or ten weeks of drought with safety, 
and enable it to get ahead of the caterpillar — the boll- 
worm may come too soon for a full crop — but one need 
not fear the caterpillar, if they do not come before the 



114 J)ickson's and Smith's Fa i; mi. no. 

fii'st of So])1oiul)(M'. Always rciiiciiiln ]• the soil must be 
good and dooj) and snbsoilcd six inches deeper, and fur- 
nished with a good sii})ply of guano, dissolved boues, plas- 
ter and salt. A cotton plant to stand two weeks must have 
fnui' inches of soil and six inches subsoil; three weeks, six 
inches soil, same subsoiling; four weeks', eight inches, 
same sulisoiling; and for every week of dry weather, you 
will nee(| an additional inch, with the same six inches sub- 
soil, broken below. So, you will see, to stand a ten weeks' 
drought you mu^t ha\'c a soil sixl('( ii iiu'hes deep, with six 
inches broken below. 

This plan will hold the forms and l)olls during the whole 
time, and not give thein up when it rains; but should you 
not prepare right, and your supplies give out, or surrendei- 
one week before reinforcements come, in form of water, 
mucli is lost, and it may be; too late to start anew. If yoii 
]irei)are and carry out this plan well, you may expect from 
four hundi'ed to twelve liundred pounds of lint cotton per 
aci'o, according to the character of the laml, locality, etc. 

Time fok Planting. 

From the lOth to the 25th of April, T consider the 
best time for planting cot, Ion in this latitude. But, in 
round nund)ers, any tinu^ from I he iirst of A])ril to I he 
15th of May will do to ])lant (cotton. You may i)laul wilh 
high manuiing as late even as the first of June. By ex- 
tending your planting over the longest periods, you can 
i-aise the largest crops, the bulk being put in about the 
15th or 20th of April. The earlier cotton is planted the 
liohter it must be covered. 



Cultivation of Cotton. 115 

Planting. 

When the proper time arrives, and the land is ready, 
open with a short bnll-tongno, sow the seed with hand, 
and cover with a light harrow. But a cotton planter is 
preferable. When this is used it finishes the whole opera- 
tion at once — opening, dropping and covering the seed. 

First Working. 

In the first working of the cotton, side with a twenty- 
two inch sweep — with the right wing tolerably flat, going 
very close to the plant, and not exceeding a half inch in 
depth in the plowing. Let the sweep be sharp. 

In ten days, commence hoeing with a sharp, No. 2 
Scovill hoe, scraping through the drill very lightly, and 
leaving from two to three stalks in the hill, the width of 
the hoe. I prefer two stalks in a hill. Leave no grass to 
bunch and cause a future bad stand. In many instances, 
it is best, wdien half over the first time to turn back and 
clean what has been hoed. The shaving of the grass with 
the hoe will act as a second working of the crop. It will 
always be safe, if you can, to return to the cotton cmco in 
three weeks. 

Do not chop out cotton but shave it out with the hoe. 
You must not dig down about its roots, but scrape it off, 
not tearing up the soil around it and exposing its roots to 
the sun. 

Second Working. 

At the end of about three weeks, side your cotton again 
with the same twenty-two-inch sweep, the right wing a lit- 
tle up, running close to the row, and shallow. Cotton 



116 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

ought to be ploughed about every three weeks. If the 
M'ork be well done, it will, in most cases, stand four weeks. 
By this plan the cotton will be kept clean, and get the 
advantage of frequent stirring, which should be surface 
stirring. Continue ploughing till the 15th to 20th of 
August, not more than one-eighth to one-quarter inch deep, 
and in the same manner, and with the same sweep as for 
first and second ploughing. Once or twice during the 
season run out the middle with one furrow to keep the 
land level. 

Cotton may be made with two to three ploughings'. Four 
sidings and two middle splittings are all that it ever 
wants under the most favorable circumstances. The great- 
est amount of work the cotton requires is only ten fur- 
rows to the row for all cultivation. The whole ploughing 
occupies just one and a fourth day's work per acre, under 
favorable circumstances ; and it may be completed with 
three-fourth days' work per acre. It is' essential that each 
of those ploughings should be done very shallow and close, 
never stopping for dry weather. If the ground stays wet, 
you may stop a few hours and hoe. The hoeing and 
plougliing during the cultivation of the crop closes up the 
land sufficiently to cause the fruit to set finely. At the 
beginning of the planting it was sufficiently porous for the 
roots to penetrate in every direction, and to any desired 
depth. The cotton plant is like the cultivated plum or 
cherry, requiring the land to be pretty close around the 
roots to set its fruit well, and prevent its drowning in ex- 
cessive rains. To cause early maturity the rows of the 
cotton should be one way four feet apart, and there should 
be from two to three stalks in a hill, at the distance of 



Cultivation of Cotton. 117 

every nine inckes. When the cotton fruit commences to 
bloom, each stalk will bloom and take on just as many 
bolls as if there were only three stalks to the yard. This 
system, stated above, will insure eight stalks to the yard, 
ii hoed with care, which is one hundred and sixty-six per 
cent, more stalks than if one stalk is left for every twelve 
inches. By placing the stalks thick in the drill, and wide 
apart, the land is less shaded, and gets more light and 
sun. If you wish to shade with a given number of plants, 
the more equally the land is divided the more completely 
it is' shaded. 

Prepared, manured, planted and cultivated, as directed, 
there never has been any reason, any year, to prevent you 
from having a good average crop. The driest year I have 
ever known has satisfied me of this fact. If you pursue 
the above plan, and get three favorable weeks from the 20th 
of July, you will get a good average crop. Thin plant- 
ing, as a general thing, latens the crop. If seasons have 
been regular, and the above directions have been carried 
out, the plant will be completely checked by the 20th of 
August, and need no topping. Topping is advantageous 
where we find the bolls have not come on soon enough, 
and, if topped, should be done from the 5th to the 10th of 
August. 

The heavier the cotton bolls the more care is necessary, 
by previous preparation and manuring, to sustain the plant. 
Care should also be taken not to skin or bruise the shanks 
of the cotton with the hoe. The hoe should never be raised 
more than eight inches from the ground to hoe cotton. 
The hoe should be kept sharp and grass should be cut just 
below the crown. Scratch out the word chop, and use the 



118 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

word lioe or scrape. This matures cotton earlier, and 
renders it less likely to be damaged by boll-worms and 
caterpillars. 

Rust in Cotton. 

Eust is simply poverty of the land. This poverty is 
produced from various causes, such as wet lands that leach, 
lands that are too porous to hold water, that receive too 
much rain at one time and get too dry at another, and 
letting it get gTassy so as to rob the plant of what little 
nourishment is there. The hilly, sandy lands can bo 
improved by mixing with them a vegetable mold, and 
using a sufficient quantity of "Dickson's Compound" with 
surface culture. The wet lands have to be drained to in- 
crease their fertility. Red and post-oak lands that are 
sufficiently dry need nothing but enriching; and the true 
system for everybody is, to make the land as near virgin 
soil as possible. I have never known in this section new 
lands to rust. The black prairie lands I am not acquainted 
with, but I understand they are liable to rust; but I be- 
lieve-' the same system of keeping them full of vegetable 
mold up to the virgin standard, and the use of the ''Com- 
poimd" manure, would succeed in making cotton in them. 
The sulphuric acid that is in the plaster might to some 
extent supply the place of carbonic acid that is deficient 
by long cultivation. The above is true in my practice. 
-As to the black prairie land, it is' a mere suggestion, but 
1 believe that it will succeed. • 

Picking Cotton. 

Picking should commence as early as the cotton com- 
mences opening, and the cotton should always be sunned 



Cultivation of Cotton. 119 

when picked before the seed matures or hardens. If the 
crop appears to be large, it will have to be picked by tlic 
hands. Hurry them up ; admit a little trash to increase 
the quantity picked. The falling off in price by picking 
a little trash, is not s'o disastrous as to let the cotton stay 
and waste, and turn black for the sake of picking it clean. 
.N^o system can prosper without teaching all the opera- 
tives and laborers to be experts, whether agricultural, or 
manufacturing, or anything that is done requiring labor. 
The first thing to do, in regard to any of the operations 
of labor, is to teach the laborers how to do it; the next 
thing, to do it with more ease and efficiency, and to learn 
to do better and better work every day. For instance, 
take a boll of cotton. They must be tauglit, with the 
greatest speed, how to throw the hand into the boll, and to 
pull out all of the cotton with one lick, not waiting to see 
whether any was left in the boll or not, always having in 
mind to strike but one lick at a boll, and as soon as that 
is done to strike at another boll. I have, in five minutes, 
taught a hand to pick one hundred pounds more of cotton 
per day than he had picked on the previous day, and from 
that point he will continue to improve. The greatest effi- 
ciency I have obtained in hands picking cotton was seven 
hundred pounds' — ^equal to three good bales a week. 

Selection of Cottonseed. 

To raise cotton for seed, the best boiling plants should 
be selected that is on the plantation. Manure it well, and 
cultivate as directed above. Plant in it the most s(dect 
seed on hand, and in working the cotton you should always 



Cultivation of Cotton. 121 

pull lip the stalks that proA^e unprolific, even if it makes 
a vacuum. When matured, from the second and third 
pickings, select the best stalks, those that have limbs suffi- 
ciently well to contain from six to seven bolls from a half 
inch to an inch apart. The best known variety to com- 
mence with is' the "Dickson Select," this variety having 
outlived every other in productiveness and popularity. 

The cotton for seed should be picked when dry, and 
put up when dry. This will always insure a healthy 
plant. If the seed is partially damaged, the plant will 
continue to die out for weeks' after it comes up, and some- 
times fiail even to make its appearance after sprouting. 

I would select cotton for seed every year. Select enough 
every year to plant to make seed to plant the entire crop 
the succeeding year. 

There is a belt of land running through Georgia and 
other Cotton States, that I consider the homo of the cot- 
ton plant — possibly the bottoms in the West may be better 
adapted to it. The southern line commences in Georgia 
above Augusta, and ends just above Columbus, embracing 
the Southern granitic region — mulatto, pine, and oak and 
hickory lands, and extending about one degTce north. I 
prefer the southern part of this belt. The north end of 
my farm is included in this sou thorn part. Planters liv- 
ing south of this line would do well to obtain seed from 
this region once in three or four years. South of this belt, 
tbe cotton plant is inclined to produce too much weed and 
too little fruit. In it, with proper preparation, rotation, 
manure and rest, yon can make the cotton plant just what 
you please, as gentlemen from all parts of Georgia can 



122 DicKsox'.s AND Smith's Farming. 

testify, who have seen my crop — making two bales per 
acre on cotton from twenty-six to twenty-eight inches high. 

To improve the cotton plant, yon shonld select seed 
eveiry year, immediately after the first picking, np to the 
middle of October, selecting (in the case of Dickson seed) 
from stalks that send ont one or more suckers near the 
ground, sometimes called arms. These arms need not be 
looked for on poor land. Secondly, from those that send 
out limits thick with three to six bolls, from a half-inch 
to one and a half-inch apart on the limbs. If you do not 
keep your land well charged with humus, the cotton limbs 
will 1)0 too short: if you cut the cotton roots, you will 
iiiaki stalks instead of l)olls. On all farnis there are some 
acres that produce cotton better than others, and seed for 
planting should always be selected from these spots. 

Thinking it best to tell what I have done, instead of 
giving advice tluit T do not follow, I will give you the de- 
tails of the preparation, manuring, planting, cultivation 
;ind ]n'oduction of a sixteen-acre lot, planted in cotton; 
ami as many may desire to know all the particulars, T will 
l:c as ex])licit as I can 1)0 in a letter. 

First, the land is good pine land, and has be"n under 
tlie plough nearly seventy years, and as many as hfty-five 
years in cotton. About twelve years ago, it was sown in 
oats, with two hundred pounds of guano and bones mixed 
with salt and plaster, and made thirty or thirty-five bush- 
els per acre — all fed off by turning stock in the fiehl. Four 
years' ago, T left it uncultivated until the middle of July; 
there was then a heavy growth of weeds on it, jnst grown. 
I turned them in, and dropped peas in every third furi'ow. 
The result was a large crop of vines, and at least fifteen 



Cultivation of Cotton. 123 

bushels of peas per acre. These were fed off by beef cat- 
tle. 

That, if you call it rest, is all the field ever had. The 
lot lies between two branches, running north and south; 
on one slope, next to the branch, is' a second growth of 
pines; the other is a peach orchard. The cotton was 
planted on the top of a level ridge, lying within one-fourth 
to ono-half of a mile of Little Ogeechee. It had been 
];laiit(Ml in cotton in ISOG — niamired with about one hun- 
droil and fifty pounds of bones and Peruvian guano each, 
and one hundred pounds of plaster. I commenced third 
of May, with tAvo horses, to prepare the land ; cotton rows 
four feet apart; ran two furrows in the middle of each 
row, which stood open about eight-inches deep, and ap- 
plied to each acre two hundred and fifty pounds soluble 
liones", one hundred and sixty-five pounds No. 1 Peruvian 
guano, and one hundred pounds of plaster. Salt being 
too high, I omitted that. The mixture was deposited in 
the bottom of the furrow; then covered with a long scooter 
jdongh, going abr)iit as deep as the other two furrows; then 
covered with a long scooter plough, going about as deep 
on the side of each scooter furrow, with a good turning- 
plough, going seven inches deep. After preparing about 
six acres in this way, I opened with a small bull-tongued 
plough ; dropped the seed and covered lightly with a 
board, part of it with a harrow. I continued in this way 
until the lot was planted, finishing the loth of May. The 
land being freshly prepared, and a little dry, it did not 
come up well. The 25th of May, had a fine shower, and 
on the first morning of June I turned the ploughs back to 
finish the preparation, running a scooter, twelve inches 



124 Dickson's and Smith's Farmixcj. 

long, in tlu' l)oltoiii of each tiirn-p]oui;li furrow, going 
seven inclics deeper; then plonghod np the ohi stalks with 
a large, long sliovel plongh, going nnder the the old cotton 
stalks — making nine fnrrows to the row in preparing the 
land, taking nine days', with one horse, for every eig'it 
acres, wliieli was eqnal to a fnll snbsoiling. Yon observe 
that the preparation was not expensive. Inclnding plant- 
ing, it was eleven days' work to eight acres. 

The cotton soon stretched np well. The first plonghing 
was done with a heavy twenty-two inch sweep (right wing 
towards the end nearly flat, the back edge of the wing abont 
one and a fonrth of an inch above the front edge in eleva- 
tion). T then hoed ont to a stand, the width of a No. 2 
Seovill lio:^, leaving one to three stalks in a bill. Cotton 
standing thick in the drill will be more forward than that 
which is thin. Give it the necessary distance lietween the 
rows. 

The second ]donghing was done with, the same kind of 
swrcp, with both wings elevated. The second and last 
lidi'iiig followed in a few days. The third plonghing ran 
one furrow in the middle of the rows. The cultivation 
with th(^. jdongh occnpied one horse five days for each 
eight acres', which makes two days ploughing for each 
acre, and about two days hoeing for the same. 

The cotton grew so rapidly, it did not need any more 
^vol•k. 1 hired the picking of most of it, at forty cents 
■per liun Ired [jounds. The lot averaged abont thre-e thou- 
sand (3,000) pounds per acre, but owing to a storm and 
other causes, T gathered only twenty-seven hundred (2,- 
700) pounds antl a fraction, which will make two good 
bales to the acre. I picked out one hundred bolls' in two 



Cultivation of Cotton. 125 

separate parts of tlie lot, at four o'clock in the evening of 
a dry day. Each weighed twenty-one ounces. In the lot 
was' an Irish potato patch that had been manured and 
mulched with straw twice. I think that portion made at 
the rate of six thousand pounds per acre. The next best 
place was about one acre of old pine field, first year, Avhicli 
made, I think, about five thousand pounds. 

If you expect such results, you must not cut the roots 
of the cotton. Cotton is a sun-plant, as you will see by 
its' leaves turning to the sun, as the latter moves through 
the heavens. So have a deep water furrow in the spring, 
work flat by hot weather, and on level land run the rows 
north and south. 

The cotton would have been much better, planted the 
10th of April. The seasons were as' fine as they could be 
up to the 28th of July. After that, too much rain. The 
hands I had were all new, and very sorry ; the manure 
was badly mixed and badly put on. 

I found during the wet weather, where the most rnanurcj 
was put, it stood the test best — especially the part that 
l.ad the most Peruvian guano on it. There was some rot, 
owing to the density of foliage and wet weather ; some 
boll-worm and caterpillar on about one-half of the patch. 

The result of this' exporimont on sixteen acres of land, 
manured with 250 pounds soluble bones, 165 pounds Pe- 
ruvian guano, and 100 pounds land plaster, per acre, was 
as follows: It made 32 bales of cotton, the last one being 
a bale and a half. The crop selling for $125.00 per bale 
brought $4,000, a net dividend of two hundred dollars and 
more per acre. The following is an itemized statement 
of actual expenses and calculation as' to net proceeds: 



12(i Dickson's and Smith's F.MmiNO. 

Below is the cost of one aero : 

Cost of Manuhk at Pi.antati in. 

250 poiiii(l.s soluble bones { ft 25 

1<)5 pounds No. 1 Peruvian Guano fi 25 

100 pounds of plaster 1 25 

Mixing and putting on .25 

117.00 

Horse 2 days, $1 per day $ 2.00 

I'lough hand, 2 days, 50 cents per day 1 00 

Hoe hand, J days, 50 cents per day •. 1.00 

i^ropplng seed 25 

Picking 10.80 

Whole expense per acre $32.05 

NKT PROOEECnS. 

Proceed sales of :!2 bales H.OOO.no 

Less expenses 132.05 per acre ■■- 5(i2.20 

Clear dividends J3,487.20 

This shows a clear dividend, per acre, of $21Y.95 * * 
With slave labor, my cotton crops averaged from ton to 
twelve bales per hand, wilh dtlicr crops in proportion. 

I am for the ])l:iii tliat ]n'escrves tho capital Ix^st, and 
])ays the largest dixidcmls. I lia\(' no doiiht, that on good 
cotton land, a fair year, I conid \\\:\kc <inc linndred bales' 
of cotton, with oiu^ No. 1 imilc: ( "oniniciicc o{)('rations 
the first day (d" Decoinhcr; subsoil every acre; nse twenty- 
five dollars' worth of inannro per acre; and finish planting 
the 1st of May ; cultivate sixty acres. 

Note by the Editor. 

For the purpose of illustrating certain points in the 
teachings of Mr. Dickson, I desire to report a fidil <if cot- 
ton that I visited on his original farm — a part of the 260 
acres' npon which he first started farming, and whicli cost 
him fifty cents per acre. This field of cotton had been 
planted on tlie 13th of June. Every Ijoll, to tiie very 



Cultivation of Cotton. 127 

1()])iii()!^t, was open with In antiful white euttdu. Not a 
green boll was to be seen, and as not a boll had been 
])icke(l, it was indeed a beauty, and looked like a snow- 
bank. 

As stated, this crop was planted on the 13th day of 
June, and I saw it on the 10th day of November. The 
crop had grown, matured and opened, to the last top boll, 
before the 10th of November. By actual count, it had 
on it 1,400 pounds per acre — nearly a bale. This land 
was a blowing sand, without clay subsoil, the lowest grade 
of land known to Middle Georgia. It had refused to 
yield a living to its owner, and he had sold it for the 
paltry sum of fifty cents per acre, and moved off to keep 
from starving. 

This field of cotton, which I remember was about twen- 
ty acres, had been treated, planted and cultivated by Mr. 
Dickson, and fertilized to the extent of about $15 per 
acre. Cotton was then selling for about 20 cents per 
pound. Hence, this 20-acre field netted him fifteen hun- 
dred dollars, less the expense of cultivation. Now, what 
does this crop demonstrate? 

1st. That, under proper treatment, culture and fer- 
tilization, paying crops can be grown upon poor lands, 
even upon bloAving sand, which is the very lowest grade. 

2d. That the seasons in this latitude are sufficiently 
long for the cotton crop, and that the planting may be 
delayed, even to the 13th day of June, with the possibility 
of a full crop. It shows the folly of planting summer 
crops in the winter. 

3d. That even the very lowest grades of land can be 



12ft 



Dickson's , AND Smith's Farmtno. 



made to produce paying crops by liberal use of commer- 
cial fertilizers, with proper culture. 

4th. That real success in farming dcspends not so mucli 
upon the quality and strength of the land as upon the 
scientific attainments and executive ability of the farmer 
\\lii» cultivates' it. 

IS 70. — EiHTorj. 




SicLKCT Cotton. 



Chapter IX. 
GROWING WHEAT. 

Wlieat, as all other amiiial cr()])s, requires deep, mellow 
and productive soil, and hence deep preparation is indis- 
jiensable to large crops. The popular impression, that 
wheat is a surface root plant, and requires no deep break- 
ing or subsoiling, leads to practical error and failure in the 
culture of this crop. Thesie advocates' claim that for wheat 
the surface soil should not bo turned under, nor should the 
subsoil be broken, because the plant is supported in its 
growth bj roots that spring out laterally near the surface 
and simply traverse the surface soil. But what are the 
facts in regard to this plant? 

Wheat has two sets of roots : the first springing from 
the seed and penetrating downward, while the second set 
push themselves laterally near the surface of the ground 
from the first joint ! Hence the roots of wheat penetrate 
and traverse the entire depth of the broken and fertile 
soil, and extract their food from ever;y part of the soil. 
The product of the crop will be found to be in the ratio of 
its extent and. fertility. It likewise requires, as do corn 
and other crops, a deeply broken soil to gather and retain 
u sufficiency of moisture to enliven the plant in its growth 
and fruitage — to keep it from famishing. 

The same class' of land that grows cotton will grow 
wheat. In this section of Georgia I would select a brown 
or mulatto spil wnth a moderate gravel ; but wheat will 
succeed better on heavier lands than cotton. 



Growing Wheat. 131 

In my system of rotation of crops, wheat follows the 
com crop. As soon as the corn has been gathered, and 
the field grazed off by the stock, broadcast the land with 
two or three hundred pounds of my "compost" to the acre, 
md sow from a half to a bushel of wheat to the acre, 
according to the strength of the land. With a small-sized 
turn-plow turn over the land about four inches deep, fol- 
lowing in each furrow with a good subsoiler. When fin- 
ished, drag a fine brush over the land with a pair of 
horses, always moving the brush on a level, if it requires 
to cross the plowing. With me this plan has succeeded 
well. 

Another plan is to break deep, subsoil and harrow the 
land. Then sow the wheat and manure, and harrow in, 
then roll it. 

Still a third plan may be tried, which looks simply to 
raising grass, with a prospect of having a crop or not of 
wheat: Sow the seed and the manure, if you intend any, 
at the same time. Turn over the land with a turn-plow, 
four inches deep. Brush or not as you may have time. 
If the wheat comes sufficiently to pay for cutting, do so, if 
not, turn the stock on it — using it as a pasture during the 
balance of the year. 

EusT IN Wheat. 

Rust damages hill and dry land less' than wet or low 
lands. So far as my observation has been, rust is entirely 
from the atmosphere, increased by the condition of the 
land, and I know of no preventative for it. The early 



132 Dickson's ^^ AND Smith's Farming. 

varieties are less subject to it. Later varieties produce 
more per acre, provided they are not attacked. 

Wheat can be saved with a common scythe blade, or 
more profitably where the reaper can be us'ed, always 
using a thresh as the means of getting it out. The main 
l)rofit derived from the culture of wheat is the fact that 
it leaves you, after cutting, a large quantity of vegetable 
matter, to be incorporated into the soil, to increase the quan- 
tity of cotton per acre tlie succeeding year. Patriotism says 
make your meat and bread at homje and be independent. 

All of the above plans are applicable to every other 
species of small grain. 

The cultivation of small grain is necessary to carry out 
a system of rotation of crops' and if you do not sow them 
you must rest your corn lands. Now choose between the 
two systems. Sow small grain, or rest your corn lands. 
Vou eau liardly uuike less on them than the worth of the 
seed in sowing. 

The reader will observe that I have not attached much 
iiiipcn-tauce to the wheat culture as a crop on my farm; 
uoi- do I advocate its culture as a crop, in the cotton belt, 
hecauso cotton as a crop, pays much better. I only ad- 
vise it as a part of my rotation system, for the benefit 
of my cotton and corn lands. This field that I put in 
wheat would rest anyhow the next year. The manure and 
the breaking in the fall will contribute to the produc- 
tion of a fine crop of grass and weeds the next spring even- 
should the crop of wheat prove unworthy of the scythe. 
The land had to be rested, and it paid to prepare and 
fertilize it for a crop of vegetable matter to recuperate 



Gkowing Wheat. 133 

the soil for the next cotton crop. But my crops of wheat 
have paid directly in results and tenfold in improving my 
land for other crops'. Under the policy that I advocate as 
a farmer — "Let us be independent," I do advise every 
farmer to plant, at least, a few acres in wheat. These few 
ficres, heavily manured, will give him his supply of flour, 
and, in addition the rest, and crop of stubble and grass 
vv'ill wonderfully recuperate the land, and return the profit 
in the cotton crop next year. 

Note — I would emphasize some of these points, as stated 
nbove for the wheat culture, illustrating two cardinal 
principles as components of my system of farming: 

1. In contra-distinction to the popular theory, that 
wheat is a surface root crop, and hence, must be scratched 
in with a scooter plow, I advise the practice of turning 
under wheat land to the depth of, at least four inches, 
putting the surface soil that many inchies deep under, and, 
in addition, breaking the subs'oil beneath. I advise this 
upon the broad fact relating to vegetable life — -that all 
annual plants, for thin growth and fruitage, utilize and 
appropriate the soil nutriment of the entire available depth 
and area of pulverized and fertile soil allotted to them 
by space. The surface scratching in, leaves the plants no 
depth to traverse for the obtainment of food, and hence 
the crop is practically impoverished, and the yield a fail- 
ure in results. It appropriates the strength of an inch 
depth of soil, whereas, it could as' easily have appropriated 
the entire fertile properties of four inches depth. This 
])rinciple is as sound in regard to the wheat crop as with 
corn and cotton. 

2. The wheat crop, the same as other annual crops. 




Oats as High as Your Shoitt.deu 



Growing Wheat. , 135 

requires a depth of broken and mellow soil to imbibe and 
retain a sufficiency of moisture to prevent the crop from 
famishing during accidental spring drought. 

These facts which are true in principle with other crops, 
hold good in the wheat crop. Hence I advise farmers 
to sow in wheat, oats and rye, one-third or one-fourth of 
their tillable land, and for the following reasons : 

1. With the fertilization, turning and brushing as first 
directed, the crop will pay, per se, a handsoine dividend. 

2. It indirectly pays a large percentage in the way of 
permanent improvement of the land by furnishing an 
abundant supply of vegetable matter from the straw stub- 
ble and accompanying crop of grass and weeds', which the 
land, more than anything else, needs. 

3. The turning into the soil in the fall a good supply 
of manure, greatly increases the crop of spontanieous 
growth that springs up the next spring, the year 
of rest, to shade the land, protects it from the summer's 
sun, and adds an additional supply of vegetable mold to 
the soil. The profits, then, may be counted — not only in 
the crop of grain raised, but in turning under of vegetable 
matter in the fall, and the more luxuriant crop of weeds 
during the year of rest, promoted by the manuring of the 
wheat crop. It will leave the land in doubly, a better 
condition for the following cotton crop, than if it had not 
been sown in wheat, as directed. 

Hence, in carrying out the rotation system suggested, I 
repeat the injunction — sow wheat and O'ats, if not for the 
sake of the grain crop, do it for the good and permanent 
improvement of the land- — recollecting that the general 
treatment of lands may not be neglected by any farmer 
expecting real ultimate success. 



Cjiaptee X. 

POTATOES, TURNIPS AND VEGETABLES. 

On the Two Field System to Save Labor. Select 
Two Plats of Land for This Purpose. 

Turnips. 

From the 20th of July to the 15th of August is the best 
time to sow turnips. 

Lay off the rows three feet distant, opening the furro^^^s 
six inches deep. Use compost and commercial manures, 
v;ith ashes sufficient to make it very rich. Bed the land 
the same as for planting cotton, and strike it off. Open 
by hand with a little hook. In the small furrow deposit 
the seed and cover them about an inch deep. When they 
have three or four leaves, shave through the drill with a 
hoe, four inches broad, leaving from two to four plants in 
a hill. A few days afterwards, side as you would cotton. 
When the leaves are about three inches long, go over and 
cut any grass that may have been left, and thin the plants' 
tc one plant in a hill. In case, afterwards, there should 
be any grass or purslane, it must be taken up clean, leaving 
nothing to come to seed but the turnips. The next spring 
this is to be the potato patch. 

Sweet Potatoes. 

If the land be not rich enough for potatoes, some com- 
mercial manures may be added in the bed, as for cotton. 
Plant the potato draws twelve inches apart in the ridge. 



Potatoes, Turnips and Vegetables. 137 

I prefer them thick, as they will not grow so large, and 
will make more bushels per acre. Cultivate the potatoes 
with a sweep as you would cotton. 

Wben you wish to lay by, you can use a sweep to set 
the hill. Side with a sweep, and with an old sweep whose 
point has been worn short, and putting your clevis on the 
top side of the beam of the- plow, run out the middle. 
Hold the plow handles well up, and make the team move 
briskly; and if the first furrow does not throw the bed out 
sufficiently, run your sweep back in the same furrow, mak- 
ing two sweeps to each middle. You will have a nice flat 
bed; and if this work has been well done no hoe will be 
needed in the potato patch. 

After frost in the fall is the proper time for digging 
and saving potatoes. The work should not be commenced 
till after the morning frost has melted away, as the least 
frost will prevent them from keeping. 

With a long scooter plow run on each side to show the 
potatoes, and then with a long shovel plow run in the mid- 
dle, splitting out the potato ridge, and throwing all the 
potatoes out. The hands should follow the plow and care- 
fully pick them up. Potatoes should be handled without 
bruising. I prefer good open dry weather for digging. 
There are many ways to save potatoes. I will give only 
one method. 

Dig a hole, a round circle, about six inches deep, where 
the water will not settle ; fill it full of straw ; pour about 
fifteen or twenty bushels of potatoes on top of the straw; 
and then round them all. Cover the potatoes with straw ; 
a few corn stalks may be laid aroimd the straw, but this 
ij not essential. Set up your forks, and cover well. In 



138 Dickson's AND Smith's Farming. 

onic or two days, put; dirt around tlie hill one-half way up, 
as thick as you iutoiid, hut not less than seven or eight 
iii(;hes; and as the potatoes sweat and dry out, you can 
continue to add dirt until you get to the top of the hill. 
They keep either with a small hole left at the top, or none, 
about equally well. 

By having" two lots, tlio two lots will produce three 
crops each year — a crop of wheat, a crop of potatoes, and 
a crop of turnips — wheat first, turnips second, and pota- 
toes third. Sow wheat as soon as you dig potatoes ; as 
soon as the wheat is off plow the land for tuirnips; plant 
the turnips' the last of July or the first of August; use 
thiem out, except a few rows for .seed, by the time to plant 
potatoes. 

Sugar Cane. 

My experience in the growing of this crop has been very 
limited, but quite successful. I have found a rich alluvial 
soil, moderately dry, or a rich heavy clay land the best for 
sugar canle. Thinner hmd, a littl(> nion^ sandy, I have 
found produced cane that contained more sugar to the si/o 
of the stalk, but not yielding so much in quantity. About 
the middle of February, is about tlie best time to plant in 
this' latitude. The land should be manured heavily by 
broadcasting compost or comnrercial manures. Turn this 
under deeply and follow with subsoiler. Make the rows 
with a large shovel six feet wide, and plant the cane, cov- 
ering with two small shovel furrows. Sugar cane has a 
greater quantity of roots than corn, and hence more care 
should be taken not to destroy them by deep culture. 
Plow lightly with a large sweep. 



Potatoes, Turnips and Vegetables. 139 

In bedding down the cane, for seed, it should be stripped 
of all the fodder, to prevent its heating the cane and tlnis 
destroying the eyes. Occasionally lay cross-pieces to keep 
the cajie from lying too close togetlier and causing it to 
heat. Cover it sufficiently deep to protect from cold. 
This is only to instruct those who wish to make small 
quantities'. Those who have followed it as a business must 
certainly know more about it as a business than I do. 

Ground-Peas. 

Ground-peas are sometimes cultivated between corn, for 
stock. For a patch for family use, choosie a plat of good 
mulatto land, clay subsoil, moderately rich, with a little 
addition of the "Compound." Lay ofi about three feet 
distant, three inches deep, and drop the seed in the ground 
four inches apart, and cover lightly. The time to plant is 
as early as they will escape from the frost. Cultivate on a 
level with a sweep. Keep the ground loose under the vine, 
and never cover the vines when they begin to run. There is 
one sort that runs up straight. Top them off. If the 
land is too sandy, or too rich, the pods will fail to have 
tlie fruit in them, and make what is called pops. 

Thei Vegetable Garden. 

The vegetable garden should be made intensely rich 
by hauling in compost or barn-yard manures every year. 
This should be trenched in, or turned in with a large 
tuni-plow and deeply subsoiled every year. This will 
keep the soil rich and deeply mellowed, and thus prepared 



140 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

for every garden crop. The barn-yard manures will fur- 
nish an ample supply of vegetable miatter, and the am- 
monia and other fertile elements incorporated with it will 
keep the soil sufficiently rich for the production of any 
garden vegetable. But during the planting, other chem- 
ical manures may be added to the several crops planted. 
As the safest practice, if you wish unfailing success in 
garden crops, keep your garden spot well enriched and 
deeply subsoiled. It Avill thus be ready all the time for 
any crop and for any succession of crops during the 
year. liemember you must manure every year if you wish 
a fine garden. I will only mention the culture of a few 
of the most usual vegetables grown for family use. 

Irish Potatoes 

Require a rich, loamy soil, a little inclined to clay. 
Prepare, plant and cultivate as follows: After making 
the land rich, break and subsoil deep. Lay oif the rows 
four feet apairt, and six inches deep. Put in compost or 
commercial manures around the potatoes after dropping 
them about fifteen inches in the hill. They may be 
dropped whole or cut in halves; cover level with the sur- 
face. 

The crop may now be mulched with pine or wheat 
straw, eight inches deep. Or wait till the crop is well up ; 
then give it one working, with a small hill made round 
the potatoes, and then mulch with straw. When the year 
is seasonable, the crop succeeds finely without mulching; 
but the mulching obviates the disastrous effects of drouth 
and secures, without failure, a good crop of potatoes. 




GRAZTNd Ho(.s ON Rape. 



142 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

Two or three different plantings shonld be made — in 
October, tlie first of January, the first of Febrnary, and 
the hist planting about the first of March. A fall crop 
may be planted in June, but it will not succeed unless it 
is' seasonable. They do not keep well in this climate, but 
may be kept sufficiently well by treating them as you 
would sweet potatoes. There should be less quantity put 
in the hill, which must always be sheltered and kept dry. 

Cabbage. 

This crop only succeeds as' a summer crop in this lati- 
tude, as I have found it very difiicult to raise fall cab- 
bages. The land must be clay, and made rich with ma- 
nures and phosphates. The soil must be deep and mel- 
low so as to make the growth of the plant luxuriant. If 
the crop does not grow off rapidly, the plants will not head 
well, and hence will prove a failure. In planting, give 
them four feet by two in the drill. Cultivate very shal- 
low, and work them frequently to keep the surface fresh 
and readily permeable to the atmospheric gases. If 
sowed early, look for cabbages from the middle of May 
till September. The common collards are cultivated in 
the same manner. 

Beets. 

For tlie cultivation of this crop I have a peculiar way, 
preferring the small young, tender beet, never to exceed 
an inch and a half in diameter for the best in quality. To 
obtain this you must have a rich soil, and very deep prep- 
aration. Plant once a month. Sow your seed quite 



Potatoes, Turnips and Vegetables. 143 

thick, and you may commence eating by the time they are 
half an inch in diameter. The more thrifty plants will 
grow ahead, and you can take them out and thus thin the 
balance. I prefer the long blood beet, but the turnip 
beet for forwardness. The best crop needs the same shal- 
low cultivation as other crops. 

Tomatoes. 

The enriched and deeply prepared soil as advised for 
your garden will grow tomatoes luxuriantly. They re- 
quire nothing but rich land, planting and cultivating. I 
prefer the small cone, not to exceed an inch and a quarter 
or an inch and a half in diameter. They are always the 
best on the fresh vines'. To' obtain the young vines plant 
frequently. If you do not have the plants, you may cut 
off the limbs and transplant. This crop needs brushing 
or framing up to support the vines during fruitage. This 
is absolutely necessary. 

Onions 

Aire easily made, requiring only a rich soil, deeply pre- 
pared. In addition to other manures, ashes and hen ma 
nure are fine. Mark off the land after preparation, 
twenty inches. Set your plants about two inches in the 
ground, four inches apajrt. With light culture, keep thf 
crop clean. 

Melons 

Should be made on a large scale, both watermelons, nut- 
megs and muskmelons. A patch should be planted every 



144 Dickson's and Smith's Farmin(;. 

two weeks, from the first of March to the first of August. 
Fresh vines always produce the best melons. Moderately 
sandy or loamy land is best adapted ijo their cultivation. 
Old fields, or pine lands that have been cut down and let 
lie for one or two years for straw to rot, is one of the best 
varieties' of soil. The ground should be laid off about 
twelve feet each way. 

After it has been deeply plougliod, dig a hole about 
throe feet square, and put in eighteen inches of uiiinuro. 
Thus prepared and jdanted, it should be cultivated as 
other crops'. Us© as much manure as you would for ten 
or twelve hills of corn. Plough them as long as the vines 
\\\]] admit of it; even when they are thirce or four feet 
long you can turn them up and plough them. 

Almost any variety of land w\\\ make watermelons. 
First year's land T have never thought quite so good for 
watermehuis. If yon vvish to make large watermelons, 
leave but oue vine in the hill; watch your patch, and pull 
off those that have a runted appearance early; let them 
get ri])o before ])ulling. 

The cantaloupe, nutmeg and mnskmelon may be all 
cultivated the same way, requiring only less distance, say 
six feet. 



Chapter XI. 
FRUIT CULTURE AND CARE OF STOCK. 

Apples 

Require a strong, clay land. They sncceod well in 
coves and valleys. They should be planted about three or 
four inches deeper than they are in the nursery, to pre- 
vent their blowin_£y down. Train the body four feet high. 
Pruning should be done annually, before the limbs be- 
come of any size, and kept moderately open. The land 
should be cultivated every other year in cotton, and the 
succeeding year turn undeir two green crops of peas'. It 
will do well if you manure highly every year in cotton, al- 
ways returning as many sped back as were taken off. 
Caterpillars should be taken off clean every year before 
they eat the leaves off. Examine for worms about the roots 
and other placos. If the plough traces skin the trees 
while young, a black bug will get in the bark and kill the 
tree. Apples do not succeed very well in this latitude; 
but enough can be made for homo us'e for cider, and sup- 
ply the vino^gar. 

Cotton succeeds much better under apple trees than it 
does under peach trees. Plant apple trees twenty feet 
each way. I ha.ve no particular varieties that I can rec- 
ommend with certainty. Summer fruits do better than 
fall and winter fruits. 

Peaches require strong clay rolling land, not very rich, 
planted ten feet in the row, and sixteen feet apart. TTo 
crop can be raised to any profit on the land, except peas 



140 Djokson's and Smith's Fai{.ming, 

be turned under. I find this thick planting always to 
produce less rotten peaches and sweeter ones, the reason, as' 
I suppose, is, that the trees evaporate the excessive mois- 
ture by being planted thick, to a greater extent than when 
they are planted thin. I have found by observation, that 
peaches in an orchard thickly planted, rot a great deal 
loss than an open tree out in the field. The late varieties 
require richer land than the forward kind. 

I have entiirely failed to raise pears in the sandy lands. 

Steawberries. 

Strawberries require a mulatto soil inclined to clay. 
I'hcy requiire a deep cultivation. The manure should be 
scrapings from rich lands, ashes and phosphates, with a 
small sprinkjing of salt and plaster; and as land is cheap 
in tliis coiintry, I would recommend a large patch, since 
by working them .-they could be repaid. It is left to the 
taste of the cultivator whether he will have his strawber- 
ries near his house or near a stream. 

After the ground is thoroughly spaded or subsoiled, 
y>loughed deep and levelled, lay off the rows by a small 
mark four feet apart; plant each hill from eighteen to 
twenty inches apart. Cultivate level, and clean as you 
would cotton. They may be either mulched in the spring 
by straw, or kept clean by cultivation, as the cultivator 
may choose. One plat will answelr the purpose. The 
second year, make a mark in the middle of the row and 
spade it up deep, adding fresh manures and vegetable mat- 
ter. Late in the fall, or early in the spring, set out a 
row in the middle, and at the end of the bearing season the 



Fruit Cultue:e and Care of Stock, 147 

old row may be hoed up. Every fall the patch should be 
ploughed, siibsoiled and levelled, and a small quantity of 
manure added. Kippeat the operation annually, as loni>; as 
you wish to eat strawberries, cream and sugar. 

Easpbekries 

Require a deep, loamy soil. Plant them in rows six 
feet apart. Set up sticks to keep them straight. Keep 
them clean by hoeing and ploughing, as you would corn. 
After bearing, cut down all the old canes'. 

Another mode is to plant them around the edge of the 
garden, and tie them back to the garden fence, and keep 
them worked clean. If you plant sufficiently, and culti- 
vate them either way, you will never fail to have a plenty. 
They are a certain fruit. 

I have had but little experience with the other small 
fruits. 

ViNEOAR Making. 

Put the cider into a very tight barrel, and at the end 
of two or three montbs draw it off, and put it into a new 
barrel. If it does not have the a])pearance of a sufficient 
body and proper acidity, add a little whiskey once a 
month, till you give it a sufficient body. Time will cou- 
vert it into first-rate vinegar. 

Cider Making. 

Cider, in a great measure, depends on the quality of the 
fruit from which it is obtained. A variety of crabs. 



148 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

known as cider apples, is of the first-class for cider ; many 
other varieties of apples make iiood cider, such as the 
Shookley, Roinanite. It is necessary that apples should 
he sound and fully ripe to make a first-class airticle of ci- 
der. Beat or grind fine, and let it remain twelve hours 
without pressing. Press out all the juice, and strain it 
into a clean harrel, it will keep hetter when the barrel is 
full, and stand the weather hetter. To let it ferment like 
wine will improve the quality of the cider. 

To make cider to keep through the winter, put into it one 
pound of clarified sugar to the gallon. To make it for 
bottling, and long keeping, put two pounds sugar to the 
gallon, and let it ferment. At the end of six months, it 
may be bottled, and will keep till used. I have some 
now that is fonrteen years old. If you desire to make 
fresh cider of it at any time, put small quantities of it into 
a jug, add about half the quantity of water, let it stand 
till it begins to ferment, and it will be ready for use, hav- 
ing the appearance and taste of cider jnst pressed, only a 
purer article. 

Note hy the Editor — A little pleasantry over a bottle 
of wi)}e. — A few years since, I was dining with Mr. Dick- 
son, with a number of other gentlemen. After we had 
been served with a sumptuous feast, aecording to the style 
and habit of the ^'prince of farmers," we were tendered a 
glass; of fine wine, accompanied with the question which 
was extended to all the gentlemen present at the table: 
' What wine do you take this to be ?" The gentlemen, one 
by one, responded, some guessing one brand and some an- 
other of the finest known brands of wine. Mr. Dickson 
smilingly answered: "This is nothing but apple cider, 



Fruit Culture and Care of Stock. 140 

and the glass' of sweet ciden- at your plates is exactly the 
same, with the addition of water and a little sugar. It is 
cider that I made several years ago, aud it is constantly 
improving in flavor and richness of taste." The ruse was 
e« joyed by all the gentlemen present, and a social compro- 
mise effected by telling us the proces's of making it, which 
was as above described. 

But the joke was enjoyable withal ; for the gentlemen 
unanimously declared that they had never tasted finer 
wine than was Mr. Dickson's cider. 



Care of Horses. 



To get the greatest amount of laboir from mules and 
horsesi without injuring them, requires the greatest care 
in feeding, watering and housing. Where oats can be 
easily made, half feed on oats and half on corn, with fod- 
der and hay, is the best food for horses. I have long con- 
templated grinding the corn or oats, and baking it into 
bread for horses, but never tried the experiment. I think 
that would be the best preventive of colic of anything that' 
has ever been tried. 

Large, dry and open stalls, one mule to each stall, I con- 
sider the best mode of housing them. It is' necessary to 
take all the advantages for working them with ease. 
Kindness is necessary, the horse doing much better when 
treated kindly than when fretted and abused. If a mule 
or horse is well treated by those who work them, he will 
become attached to them and do better service. 




Both Dickson and Smith Raised Their Own Meat. 




Milking Time at Jim Smith's Farm. 



Feuit Culture and Care of Stock. 151 

Raising Hogs. 

I will simply gi^'e mj practice under slavery, which will 
be equally efficient now, when freedmen become more hon- 
est. Always select the best boars and sows out of the best 
breeds. Having carried the land through a state of im- 
provement with guanos for a number of years, incorpora- 
ting bone dust into the soil, it will produce a fine growth of 
weeds on the land after laying by, which will grow finely 
until they are turned in. The practice is to move the hogs 
along before the plough, from field to field giving them 
only a bushel of corn to a hundred in number. Let them 
feed on the supply of turnips during January, February 
and March, and on the rye and grass until about the first 
of May, then retuum the hogs to their permanent pastures, 
and let them run on lands that have been at rest. They 
will not injure the weeds at this time, and having such a 
fine start they will continue to improve. Having sown 
the previous year some of my corn land in wheat, oats 
and rye, and saved what I could of them, being on an 
average of about two-thirds of the crop, I turn the hogs 
on this field, where they will be well sustained until pea- 
time. 

If you wish to fatten early, plant a field in early peas ; 
turn your stock into the corn and peas. I have always 
been accustomed to put peas in every corn row, and corn 
land being in good heart with former manuring, wO'uld 
make peas sufficient to last until February. Peas never 
kill hogs'; but particular kinds of soil in the field may 
kill them, such as clay, pipe-clay, and prairie lands. The 
best preventive is a plenty of vegetables, such as potatoes, 



152 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

pumpkins, turnips, and a plenty of salt and copperas. On 
my land, none die from eating peas. 

About the middle of August, select out your hogs you 
wish to fatten ; feed them with corn awhile, say three or 
four weeks, or until tlie; pea field is ready for them. 
When they have eaten off the peas, put them up in pens, 
well littered, three or four in a pen, and feed them on 
corn. The best way is to have the corn ground, and cook 
it for them. 

Under this system, I used to raised from eight to twelve 
hundred pounds of pork per each hand. By fencing the 
Vn'IioIp lands, many things accumulate that sustain hogs, 
which amount to a great deal in the whole. Stock should 
never run on the same field two years in succession, but 
should be changed, in order to allow an accumulation of 
worms, bugs, mussels, fish, and many kinds of roots — all 
of which hogs devour greedily. They are also fond of 
herbs and wild fruits'. 

Hogs in the swamp feed t<» a considerable extent on 
leaves that have been rafted up, and are in a decaying 
state under the water. This I know from killing wild 
hogs in good order, and, on opening their maws and intes- 
tines, have found nothing in them but these decayed leaves 
and muck, and from having often seen them eating these 
leaves in branches and swamps. 

Saving Bacon. 

When you kill your pork hogs, cut the bacon, spread 
ir, and let it lie long enough to get out all the animal heat. 
Then salt it dowTi— covering it thorouchlv with salt. 



Fruit (ultuije axd Cake of Stock. 153 

When it has salted long enough, hang it and let it well 
dry ; then subject it to the following process to keep it 
sound and sweet by keeping off the skipper fly : 

Get you some ashes, by burning sweetgum, hickory, and 
maple, either separately or all mixed. Take do^vn your 
meat about the first of March, wipe it well to get all the 
skipper eggs off. Have a rack of round sticks, on which 
other sticks are laid twelve inches apart ; lay the meat on 
it, and cover over the fleshy part well with ashes. As soon 
as' the skipper fly makes its appearance, use the common 
fly poi&;on in smoke-houses, made up just as for house 
flies ; renew it twice a week, and it will attract the atten- 
tion of the skipper flies, and kill them, and run out the 
rats, too. If the above recipe is followed strictly, there 
will never be a skipper in the whole number of your hams 
and shoulders. A dark and tight houhe is always prefer- 
able, so that the ventilation comes down throughout the top 
of the house, which should be well wired to keep the flies 
from coming down. 

Honey and the Habit of Bees, 

Honey may be obtained in sivfficicnt quantities for the 
use of families, by boxes simply l)eing made of twelve- 
inch plank, two feet, four inches long. A little attention 
is requisite in order to keep the worms from collecting 
around the edge of the boxes, and doing up and eating 
the honey. Always have hives ready when the bees swarm 
in the spring of the year, and a good place for them to set- 
tle on ; saw off the limb when they have settled, place it 
to the mouth of the empty gum, which should be elevated 



154 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

about four inches. With a little attention, the bees will 
soon go in. At night, move the gum to the bench where 
h is to stand permanently, which should always be in a 
shady place, and protected from the rain. 

About the 10th to the 15th of May, is the proper time to 
take the honey out, which nuiy be done by tying a sheet 
around the mouth of the gum, laying it on a table, with 
Iho head a little the lowest, blowing in a little smoke, then 
wilh a knife, with a little blade, cut across the honey, and 
take it out in squares, scrape the sides of the gum clean, 
and return it to the bench from whence it came. If 
handled nicely, the hive will be equal to a new hive. 

This is the easiest and plainest way to obtain honey. 
The improved hive, with supers on top, furnishes a more 
neat and easy way of taking it. 

Honey is obtained from flowers, and from the lioiiey- 
dew that ('(nncs on a dry year. Th(^ comb is s'ecreted from 
the abdomen of the bees; young bens only being capable of 
prod^icing wax. 

No hive luis more than one queen. 1 have sometimes 
known two queens to come out, which fad you can ascer- 
tain soon h\ the bees being agitated. Looking under the 
gum, or around the hive, you will find one of the queens 
taken a prisoner. If you take her out from the gum, all 
will be quiet. In other instances, I have found the hives 
without any queen, by the agitation of the bees. Look 
around on the ground and other places, and you will find 
the queen with a s'mall knot of bees on her ; take her u]j 
and carry her to the gum, and all will be quiet. 

Bees have not changed their habits in the meauory of 
man. They raise quite a number of queens in swarming 



156 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

time. If any of them have the least blemish in the world, 
they are put to de'ath, and thrown out of the hive. I have 
often found as many as six or eight of them in front of the 
hive. On examining- one, I coiild see the fault for which 
she was killed — she having- been imperfect in some par- 
ticular. The same thing is true of the neutral bee ; each 
one is examined, and should the least blemish be found 
on it, is put to death. When the swarm is perfect, and 
the queen also, the first favorable day they swarm out. 

There are many other halnts I have noticed in the bee. 
Some ventilate the hive, in hot weather, by fanning wnth 
their wings ; some carry in water, and some compound it 
with l)read to make food for the young bees, some bring 
the honey, and the others the bee-bread ; l)ut no two kinds 
of bread are ever de})osited in the same cell. Everything 
is order, system and industry. All the cracks in the gums 
tlie l)ees seal with swcctgum. I lia\'e, Avhen a Itoy, often 
taken it from the eums and chewed it. 



Our Present System of Labor. 

The present system of labor does not exceed sixty per 
cent, of slave labor, involving a loss of fully one-third 
of the labor by the men going to villages', railroads, mining 
and other enterprises. One-half of the women and children 
are absent, housekeeping, idling, and other things. Under 
the slave system, the^ women, and children were the main- 
spring of cotton-raising. The loss of labor and inefficiency 
of labor, are abont equally coni])ensated by the increased 
price of our products. One of the reasons why there is a 
deficiency of labor is', that the men take Satiwdays to go to 



JiiUIT CULTUEE AND CaRE OF SxOCK. 157 

public meetings ; tliej do not work as many honrs in the 
day as they fonnerly did, and their work is not of as good 
a character. Each family mnst have its honsekeeper and 
washer, and mnst send, to mill, if they only send a half- 
bnshel of corn. A great loss in their labor also resnlts' 
ill their ha\'ing to stop to gather fire-wood, and attend 
to their gajrdens and patches. 

The only partial compensation Ave will ever get for this 
loss and inefficiency of laljor, is the increased price of onr 
prodncts — the high price of cotton. I snbmit, is it good 
jiolicy to encourage immigration to bring down these 
prices>, and lose the only benefit that we can ever derive 
from the resnlt of emancipation ? 

The best method of hiring, T consider to be wages — 
contract setting forth the dnties of each party. The policy 
of managing freedmen is, to act firmly, and' trnly, and 
honestly with them, and reqnire them to do the same; 
and as a good stimnlns to do this, never pay them more 
than half wages till the end of the time for which they 
contracted to work. On plantations of any considerable 
size, the actnal necessaries shonld lie kept, and sold to 
ihe freedmen at a profit snfficient to pay all risk and in- 
terest on the money. Those who work on shares shonld 
divide the profits and responsibilities with the land-owneir. 
The rent of thp land shonld be one-third of all the crops 
gathered ; another third shonld pay for the horse-power, 
machinery and tools. The laboirer shonld have one-third, 
he finding his own hoe and axe, it being impossible to 
keep snch things as' plantation tools. The whole diiec- 
tion of the laborers, the management, gathering and the 
sale of the crop should be held by the land-owner. What 



158 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

i&' left on the fields and the use of the pasture, should be 
the land-owner's, after the hands oease to gather the 
crops. As the land-owner furnishes the land, and all the 
expenses of the tools, the laborer should pay him two- 
thirds the value of all the days that he was not employed. 

One objection to the cropping is this; you can not carry 
the improvement plan to the extent that is' desirable. The 
laborers are unwilling to do as deep ploughing as is re- 
quired — to jiurchase as much fertilizers as will pay a 
ju-ofit. You would lose the services of the laborers on 
rainy days, and at other times between crops, that might 
bt used to great advantage on a farm. 

In hiring laborers, a man should never allow less than 
fifty per cent, profit on the labor, for he is taking the 
risk, and paying for the laborer, the land always coming 
in for ii tliird. Where the farm is rented to parties of 
ciipital tlijit fiu'uish everytliing, the land slioiild b(> kept 
up by manuring, the fences should be repaired, all the 
droppings of the farm saved and applied to the crops, the 
buildings should have all the repairs done on them where 
uieehanics are not required ; the land should retain one- 
half. jS^o renter or cropper should ever think of having 
sffx'k to the extent of depredating on the employer's land ; 
should the contract be made for raising stock, T know of 
no reason why the land should not draw an equal propor- 
tion of stock as well as of crops. Seed and shucks should 
never be removed from the land. When new renters 
come, furnish them seed, and let them use the shucks; 
vvhen they leave, let them leave the shucks. If they make 
more than one crop, let them use the seed for manure un- 
til they leave. The way to make the estimate to get the 



Fruit Culture and Care of Stock. 159 

fifty per cent, on the work is to take off one-third of the 
cotton crop for the land, one-thii"d for the fences, includ- 
ing the machinery, and then give the laborers, in Wages, 
what would be equal to two-thirds of one-third of an aver- 
age crop. The reason for reserving this one-third is, 
that the employer takes aJl the risks of storms, drouths, 
worms, caterpillars and boll- worms, and of prices lessening 
and of every other disaster. Let the laborer share the 
risk and insurance. 

* * * All of my trained hands have now applied to 
come back, preferring onei-third of the crop gathered on 
my place, to one-half on the places worked last year. Whilst 
I owned them, they told me to plant thirty-eight acres 
in corn and cotton, and seventeen acres in wheat and oats, 
and they would cultivate it with my aid, in preference 
to twenty acres under an overseer, and could do it with 
more ease. My crops before the war, averaged me $1,000 
per hand. I divide thus: $200 for manure, $200 for 
horse-power, tools, etc., $300 for land and $300 for labor. 
My estimate is now, when hands work well, to divide 
as follows: First, take my pay for all purchased ma- 
nures ; the balance to go — one-third for land rent, one- 
third for -horse-power and all tools, including gins, wag- 
ons, carts, wheat thresher, etc., hoes and axes excepted, 
which each hand should furnish and one-third to the 
laborer, being divided among the hands that produce; the 
cottonseed to be returned to the land, all cro])s left in the 
lield nngathered to go to the owner of the land. 

The farmer should, by all means, save a portion of his 
income accumulated from year to year, and get in a con- 
dition to buy everything for cash. Sell cotton for cash. 



Fr.uit Culturje and Care of Stock. 161 

Other things may or may not be sold on time. When yon 
mortgage yomr crop, you lose your independence to that 
extent. Keep a cash capital equal to one year's expenses'. 
Invest in stocks that are readily conveitible into money; it 
will enable you to hold your cotton until you can get a 
price that will be remunerative. Make all supplies at 
home that can be made; and as you accumulate capital, 
you can enter into joint stock companies for manufactur- 
ing, banking, discounting — fill up the whole vacuum, so 
that a foreigner's dollar can find no investment here. But 
having a mortgage on your property will create a tax for 
all future labor. 

In the course of time, the planters will have the capital 
here to export their cotton directly to Europe — bringing 
goods directly here, and &:aving all accumulations of profit, 
freight, and other contingencies. The planters in the 
Cotton States can save fon-ty millions of dollars annually 
without feeling the loss of necessaries or luxuries. This 
forty millions of dollars, if invested in railro'ads and 
manufactories, would soon put us on a par with any por- 
, tion of the world. In a few years, this forty millions of 
dollars, with the interest on the first forty millions, would 
enable us to purchase a large portion of the bonds of the 
^^'Olrld. Tribute would come from every portion of the 
world to the cotton regions, instead of going out as it 
now does. We are making about three hundred millions 
of dollar's worth of cotton a year, at the prices it has 
ruled for the last three years. This forty millions of dol- 
lars, counted as income, will amount to near fourteen per 
cent, of the aggregate value of the cotton crop, and any 



162 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

people that can save such per cent, can certainly become 
independent. 

Cotton does the best in this latitude, but to continue 
to make it pay, the cotton planter should make his whole 
supplies' — corn, cotton, meat, and eveirything necessary 
to run the farm ; then the balance of the labor will make 
more money than if the whole labor was engag<^d in making 
cotton, by the increased price of the cotton. What com 
you wish to use at home, you should not count the cost O'f 
making, but make it, and you will bo roiuunornfod in tlio 
increased price of the cotton. 

Encourage manufactories, that they may be supplied 
with the products of your farms, spinning up the cotton, 
working u}> the raw hides into shoes, that you may get 
them without any carrying trade to any distant portion 
of the world to be manufactured and brought back — get 
them at a less i)rice, and make a profit on the ]u-oducts 
furnished them. Take this labor from the cotton field, and 
increase the price of your cotton in the same ratio. 



Chapter XII. 

ON IMMIGRATION. 

Spakta, Ga., Juno 10, ISO!). 
Editor Southern Cui^tivator : 

I wish to call the attention of the cotton planters of 
the South to the subject of iuiinigration. It is one of 
greatest interest, and if successful, I think will prove de- 
structive to the cotton interest. I do not wish my views 
to prevail unless they are right. I wish both sides to be 
hcnird, and hope those who can wield the pen, and who 
agree with me, will be heard ; the other side has been heard 
already, and we have been, taxed to promote this cause. 
The State of Geoirgia is moving for our destruction. 

The negro wo havo with us, and we can not ret rid of 
him if we would. They will not die out, as most of our 
Northern friends and many of our people think. The 
next census will show a large increase. The only way 
to make it tolerable for them to live amongst us is to give 
them employment. With full employment they will steal 
less, be more law-abiding, and a less nuisance in every 
way. Do we want more labor, an<l for Avhat? The agri- 
cultural inteirest at the South is chiefly valuable foir 'its 
j.roduction of cotton, tobacco and rice. Can Ave make 
uiorc^ money by douliliiig flic ((uaulily of hd)or tlian we 
can out of what we now have? Do unudnM-s increase the 
quantity of labor pro rata, or will the dividends be greater 
for all concerned? (^an the first million of people in 
Georgia, having the first choice of lands to cultivate, and 



164 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

the balance for pastuire, make more or less than the second 
million, having the poorest half to cultivate, and no waste 
land for stock to graze on ? Is the second million likely 
to be mlore skillful, industrious, law-abiding and enter- 
prising, etc. ? I think history teaches us that a population, 
with plenty of room and land, are more cheaply governed 
than a dense population — ^can live better, and can have 
more labor to spare for improvements. What country has 
huilt the same amount of railroads and factories as the 
United States? The United States having plenty of lands 
to cultivate, by selecting the best, can, with one-half of its 
laborers;, make a plenty of all the products of the soil, 
whilst the other half can build railroads and machinery 
of all kinds and work them. The cotton States, with 
their present labor, can build more railroads, erect more 
factories, develop more mines, carry education and re- 
finement to a higher point, than if the population was in- 
creased fourfold. With cotton at twenty-five cents per 
pound', you have money to do whatever you wish collective- 
ly. In 1848 and '49, with nine hundred thousand to one 
million bales of cotton in Liverpool, cotton sold in Augusta 
at four and a half to five and a half cents. With three 
hundred and fifty thousand to four hundred thousand 
bales at present in Liverpool, cotton is selling in Augusta 
from twenty-five to twenty-nine cents per pound. Why 
do you wish to make the change ? Our ITorthern friends 
say if we do not produce cotton cheaper, we will lose the 
trade. I am willing to lose it, if it can only be held by 
making cheap cotton. If they would take a little more 
interest in preventing the loss of our liberty, instead of 
the loss of the cotton trade, it would inure to the benefit 



On Immigkation. 165 

of both sections. Give us our liberties and constitutional 
rights, with our best men to represent us in all depart- 
ments, and we can make as much cotton as the world wants, 
at fair prices, if it be teii millions of bales, without an 
outside man or dollar. Good goveriunent would do more 
to develop this country than all the men and money in the 
world. 

* Cotton planters, it is not to jour interest to sell your 
land at a mere nominal price. How can you invest your 
money to any better advantage? Land must advance in 
price. In thirty years, without a single immigrant, Geor- 
gia will have a population of two millions of people, the 
sons and daughters of the present population. Be patienr ; 
wait for the natural increase, and what may voluntarily 
come. Do not spend your money to hasten an over-pop- 
ulated country. It will come soon enough; and when it 
does come, you will have no outlet. Some are willing 
to cut their lands up into small lots, and give every alter- 
nate lot to immigrants, thinking it will more than double 
tlip price of the balance. What do you care what your 
lands are worth, if you have none to sell — ^besides, it would 
reduce the price of cotton more than one-half, and the land 
you have left would not pay per acre one-half of the divi- 
dends' they do now — reducing your profits three-fourths. 
You have a plenty of native poor people to sell land to if 
you wish to part with any. 

Do those who have no land wish competitors in labor, 
and in the land market — reducing your wages one-half 
or more? Do you wish a great increase of money capital, 
reducing the rate of interest to the standard of Europe, 
causing all property to rise in proportion to the fall of 



166 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

interest? Your wages are fixed by the surplus of cotton 
you have to export, and the price it will bring in Liver- 
pool. Your prosperity depends upon the scarcity of labor 
and a high rate of interest. You have nothing but your 
labor — ^you can not borrow money, even if it gets down 
to two per cent. The value of your labor being fixed by 
the value of cotton in Liverpool, where interest is low, you 
can, by residing where it is high, acquire proportionately 
much more land in a given time. 

To those who have land to sell, or more than can be 
worked, let me say, the very scarcity of labor will make 
one-half of youir lands bring in annually more money than 
if all was planted ; tlic other half is worth five per cent, to 
grow brcKjmsedge for grazing, and will advance more than 
five per cent, annually. For the safety of the manufactur- 
ing interest, especially in cotton, it is not prudent to push 
it too fast — not faster than markets can be found for the 
ja-oducts m;anufactured. Just as sure as the winds return 
tlie Avater, to be condensed and fall again al)ovo the shoals, 
the people here will possess the money, and energy, and 
skill, to put the water to work; and to effect this' most 
speedily, we want a scarcity of labor, that there may be a 
scarcity of cotton, and correspondingly good prices. 

With cotton at twenty to twenty-five cents per pound, we 
can in Georgia appropriate ten dollars towards increasing 
our nianufactiiriiig interost with more ease than one dol- 
lar, with double the labor, and cotton eight to twelve cents. 
Where are the laborers best fed and clotlied ? — where labor 
is scarce. Where does land pay the best profits ? — where 
labor is scarce ; and the reason is, the products of the farm 
bring the l)est prices under these circumstances. 



On Immigration. 167 

I am equally opposed to begging for money to be brought 
to the South to be invested. If capitalists come of their 
own accord, let them come, but it is not to our interest that 
they should. You now own the property of Georgia; if 
you sell one-half of it, you will own but the other half. It 
is very difficult to transfer real property from one country 
to another. The most you would get would be the means 
to live and dress fine for a few years. 

What we want is a system of saving and properly in- 
vesting each year. We could and ought to save annually 
fifteen millions of dollars, to be invested in machinery. 
That would pay future dividends, to be reinvested. I am 
for more labor too ; but I want such as we may never regret 
acquiring. Accumulate all sorts of labor-saving machines ; 
improve your land to a capacity double its present rates; 
improve your systems fully double of what they now are. 
Learn to do fully fifty per cent, more work with the same 
labor than is now done, and with more ease; learn to ap- 
ply your labor to greater advantage than is now done ; 
do all this, and more too which can be done, and you will 
find your products ample, without any increase of popula- 
tion. I am for non-action by Georgia— non-action of our 
people. Leave the subject of immigration to time and 
the free will of those who wish to come among us and be 
of us. 

We owe our prosperity at this time entirely to the scar- 
city of lal)or — many negroes having refused to work ; othere 
being employed in repairing tom-up railroads and build- 
ing new roads. If all the negToes had gone to work on the 
farms, and done full work, it would have taken twenty 



168 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

years to reach our present situation. The scarcity of labor 
is the only blessing we now enjoy as a result of the war. 

The scarcity of labour in the South gives us the proceeds 
of the very labor some -people wish to transfer here. The 
profits of one hand in the cotton fielH give us the labor of 
two in Europe. Transfer him herej and he will compete 
with the labor we now have, or he will labor with those we 
now have, to less:en their profits, and bring about a state 
of things which will get up strikes. You must recollect, 
a strike in the cotton or harvest field is not like one in a 
cotton mill or on a railroad. If the mill stops, what has 
been done is not lost; if the hands refuse to move any 
more dirt, what has been, remains. Not so with wheat 
and cotton ; all is lost, unless you continue to advance. The 
guano must be pumped up into the cotton bolls, and they 
must be gathered by uninterrupted labor. 

The press of the South has labored earnestly to get the 
cotton planter to make all his supplies at home, urging 
it as being the cheapest policy. JSTow every cotton planter 
knows that nothing pays as well as cotton, and all the 
presses in the world can not change his opinion. *But if 
the press will strike at the root of the evil, they may do 
incalculable good. I will state what it is; I have always 
practiced it ; both the true interest of the cotton planter and 
patriotism should make all adopt it. Apply one-half of 
all labor and land to the making of full supplies of all 
kinds that are needed on the plantation, and enough to 
spare for those engaged in other pursuits. Do this, and 
you will get more money (take ten years together) for 
the other half of labor and land engaged in cotton culture 
than if the whole was employed to produce cotton. If 



On Immigration. . 169 

this is true, immigration is certainlj not to our interest, 
and why should not the cotton planters consult their in- 
terest as well as other people. 

Very respectfully, 

David Dickson. 



Immigration — -Number II. 

Sparta, Ga., October 7, 1869. 
Editor Southern Citltivator: 

I could not finish what I had to say on immigration in 
iny first article. I will not reply to any criticism on my 
views hereafter, as I have no interest to serve that is not 
common to every planter, to- wit: the prosperity of the 
South. I have never held any office, and do not wish to 
do so. I speak and write simply what I believe is the 
true interest of the cotton planter, without regard to pleas- 
ing or displeasing. 

I will use round numbers; these will be near enough 
for all purposes. It has been about tiinety years since the 
close of the Revolutionary War. The population then 
was estimated at about three millions; to this original 
number a few have been added since, by purchase of ter- 
ritory and annexation, but not enough to alter the results 
materially. During these ninety years, we have been en- 
gaged in wars (including the Indian wars) as' much as 
one-sixth of the time, and what is the result ? The popula- 
tion of the United States has increased thirteen-fold, reach- 
ing now, probably, thirty-nine millions. Taking the nine- 
ty years together, there has been an increase of population 
equal to the original number, once in about every seven 



170 Dickson's and Smith's Fakming. 

years, including the limited immigration, Who' can want 
a greater increase of population than that? And as long 
lib there is sufficient room to^ produce all the necessaries of 
life, the increase will keep up to these figures. Is there 
any one that wishes to encourag'e a system that would stint 
the food of their own children so as to stop the natural 
increase of a well provided population ? Taking thirty- 
nine millions as the number of persons in the United States 
at present, let us see what they will be in ninety years 
more, or in 1959 (and some who are children now will be 
alive then) : thirteen times thirty-nine millions makes five 
hundred and seven millions of persons. 

Messrs. Editors, we will now try the figures in the case 
of Georgia, and what is true of Georgia is true of all the 
Cotton States. The population of Georgia is now about 
one million tw^o hundred thousand ; thirteen times that 
amount is fifteen millions six hundred thousand. Now, is 
there anything that will prevent the ratio of increase for 
the next ninety years being equal to the past ninety years, 
but a scarcity of food, -and clothing, and room ? It is of- 
ten said that the South is the garden spot of the world. 
Heretofore we had permanent and limited labor, and the 
cotton plant, together with an extensive forest befoire us. 
All is changed now; the best of the forest is gone and it 
requires a greater number of acres in the South to support 
its people than in regions farther North. It is much more 
difficult to retain the soil and improve it. Here the land 
is not frozen and covered with snow six months in the 
year; the summers are much hotter and longer; heat has- 
tens exhaustion when under the plough ; and the heavy 
rains damage the land the year round ; therefore, we need 



On Immigration. 17 1 

more land that we may rotate the crops and give the soil 
rest. Labor is chiefly valuable, not on account of the ag- 
gregate of what it produces, but the money value after 
l>aying for labor and all expenses. The amoinit of hil)or 
that will produce the greatest net profit is' what I want. 
1 contend we now have it in the Cotton States. The la- 
borer and his family have to be first fed and clothed, no 
matter what the price agreed on for labor, before capital 
gets anything. 

It is said we want more labor. Can we get more la- 
borers without at the same time getting more consumers ? 
Or is it meant we want more persons without capital ? If 
so, I am opposed to that plan. I had rather have less 
labor, and have a majority of the people interested in 
property, morals, true religion, and everything that is 
desirable. A large population has a tendency to develop 
a central government and a standing army. I will leave 
it to some divine to say what effect the introduction of 
Chinamen would have on religion, morals, etc. 

Had it not been for the clause prohibiting slavery, which 
Virginia put in the articles ceding the Northwest territory, 
and the immigration of Europeans, we would not have had 
the late war and its results ; and even if the war had 
come, there would have been no "lost cause." Immigra- 
tion is' the chief cause of the changed character of the gov- 
ernment of the United States, and a continuance of the 
former will hasten the overthrow of the latter, with all its 
attendant consequences. 

Cotton planters ! the whole capital of Europe, including 
money and machinery, together with that of the ISTorth, 
is striving to increase the quantity of cotton, and to reduce 



172 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

the price. You have no concert of action; a panic in- 
creases your anxiety to sell cotton. This feeds the panic 
still miore. Your only remedy is to make only what is 
wanted at paying prices ; keep out of debt, be the creditors, 
make the most of your supplies at home — then, and only 
then, will you have power. 

Messrs. Editors, there is a great deal .said about the 
capital the immigi*ants bring to this country. I do not 
think they bring any, except enough to exchange during 
the first year's residence for articles that would be exported 
during that year, if not consumed by the immigrants, such 
as bacon, cheese, corn, flour, lard, etc. The gold returns 
to Europe, in place of the above articles, to pay for their 
clothing, etc. 

A country being rich is a very different thing from a 
population being rich. Suppose Georgia had five hundred 
millions of taxable property, and one million of inhabi- 
tants, and you add two hundred millions taxable property 
and one million of population, tlie people won Id be poorer 
than at first. Population does not lessen taxes. Thirty 
years ago, with one-half of the present population, we did 
not pay more than one-tenth of the present tax. Under 
the Adams' extravagant administration, a tax of about two 
dollars and fifty cents per head, with a population of five 
millions, was paid. Under Mr. Johnson's administration, 
with, an average population of thirty-five millions, nearly 
five hundred millions were paid to the government, or six- 
teen dollars per head. Let each reader figure for himself 
and make up his mind accordingly. 

One of the benefits of scarcity of labor is, it gives high 
prices for cotton, and thereby gives us a monopoly of all 



On Immigration. 173 

commercial manures ; and only one-half the land being 
required to produce the same amount of cotton ; deeper 
ploughing can be done — this will hold moisture, to keep 
the mxinure soluble, and make the insoluble soluble. More 
care in cultivation follows; the best and most level lands 
will be selected ; the worn and gullied lands' will go into 
forest again to equalize the seasons as to cold and hot, wet 
and dry. The very scarcity of labor will enable planters 
to acquire a cash capital, and with that, if they are true, 
they can dictate terms. I feel no apprehension that the 
negro will or can force the planter to sell his land. 

I do not believe that the increase of price of grain in 
the great Northwest is due to the hundreds of thousands 
of immigrants aimually settling there. If it was true, I 
would not want such immigrants; they could not make 
bread for their own consumption. It must be found in 
other causes, as depreciation of the currency, conversion 
of grain into meat for cities, for export, and the gradual 
impoverishment of land. 

I take issue again on the amount of labor that can be 
spared from a dense population, compared with a sparse 
one. European experience shows that only about one man 
out of each hundred of the population can be spared with- 
out creating a scarcity of the necessaries of life. The 
United States, taking both sections, furnish from six to 
eight to the hundred. If the South, previous to the war, 
had taken the native white man and negro to build her 
railroads', instead of employing immigrants, cotton would 
have advanced to such an extent as would have twice paid 
for the whole work, thus getting the roads for nothing, 
and still have enough to pay for all iron, etc. Georgia, 



] 74 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

for the last four years, has repaired and made more miles 
of new roads, built more factories, shops, houses, etc., (all 
with Georgians) than any one million two hundred thou- 
sand people ever did since the creatio-n of the world, and 
in this lies the secret of our success. 

I will only touch upon one more item, viz : low rate of 
interest. Dense population has a tendency to center prop- 
erty in a few hands^ — ^property in the hands of a few has 
a tendency to lower the interest, because the few do not 
consume the whole interest ; if more generally diffused, all 
would be consumed. Low interest at home causes capital 
to seek investments where interest is high. For instance, 
Europe purchases bonds here that pay five to seven per 
cent, interest to be reinvested year after year, still making 
money center to the lowest point of interest, and rendering- 
it more difficult for those to live who have no money. This 
country, in less than ten years, will pay a tribute in inter- 
est to Europe of more than one hundred millions' of dol- 
lars on bonds having been principally consumed in lux- 
uries. 

I am no apologist for the negro. I would be glad for 
him to feel the stimulating effects of immigration, if it 
could be done without injuring the white race. 

I shall now take final leave of this question, commend- 
ing it to the calm and thoughtful consideration of the thou- 
sands of planters at the South who have as deep an interest 
in it as I have. My object has' not been to provoke con- 
troversy, but to caution my fellow-countrymen against a 
policy which, in my humble judgment, is fraught with 
ruin to the South. Yours truly, 

David Dickson. 



Ojsr Immigration. 175 

Immigration — I^umber III. 

Sparta, Ga., March 31, 1870. 

Editor Southern Cultivator: 

Dear Sir: You wish to have mj further views on the 
policy of immigration to the Cotton States. I should 
have answered sooner ; hut eveiy time I set apart a few 
hours for that purpose, I have heen interrupted by com- 
pany. 

The great cry of the friends of immigration is to de- 
velop the resources of the Cotton States'. That might do 
if it did not increase the recipients as well as products. 
I entirely disagree with them. The people of the Cotton 
States own the soil, mines, water-power, etc., and I con- 
tend that w© have the labor to develop these resources 
more effectually than if we had more and receive all 
the profits. It is our first duty to provide for our own 
household, and take care of our own poor. We can do 
it more effectually, and'Mnth greater profits to ourselves, 
than wo could with an increase of labor. Under our 
present sparse population, there is plenty of land and 
room for all, and abundant employment for our children. 
This will not be the case when once our country becomes 
flooded with immigTants. Our own children may even 
Avant that daily employment necessary to earn them a 
scanty subsistence and mlay not be encouraged and stim- 
ulated, as' they now are, by all those incentives to action 
that spring from remunerative labor, as well as from the 
innumerable openings for enterprise now presenting them- 
selves in our Southern States. 

One writer, who objects to my views, asks, "Who builj; 



176 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

the railroads of the South ?" and answers, "Immigrant la- 
bor built them." That is too true; but it was a great 
evil and loss to the South. Under the old system, we had 
too much labor. It reduced what we had to export to too 
low a figure. Sugar five to eight cents, cotton seven to 
ten cents! Instead of building our railroads with immi- 
grant labor, we should have done it with our slaves, to tlio 
extent of one-fourth of all labor employed in producing 
cotton, rice, sugar, and tobacco. Who will say that if 
one-fourth of the labor had been employed in building 
railroads, factory dams, fish dams', ditching, improving 
homesteads, planting orchards, etc, we would not have 
made fifty per cent, more clear money than we did with all 
the labor? The fifty per cent, clear money would have 
purchased all the railroad iron, cotton machinery, etc. Un- 
der that system, we might have spun and woven one-half 
of the cotton, and had as many road's as we wanted — all of 
v^hich would have been clear profit, getting as much money, 
all the time, for three-fourths of the cotton as we would for 
the whole. These are no new ideas of mine. They were 
formed and expressed early in my cotton career. The 
first full cotton crop that I ever made (1847), I held my 
cotton eleven months, and sold the entire crop at four and 
a half cents per pound. N^ow, if not more than one-fourth 
a general crop had been made that yeair, or three-fourths 
had been burned after it had been rnade, the balance would, 
in all probability, have brought ten to fifteen cents. Would 
it not have been better to have taken cotton hands insteiad 
of immigrants to Imild those railroads, and saved the mon- 
ey, by increase of prices, to pay them, instead of paying 
the immigrants out of low-priced cotton ? 



Oisr Immigration. lYT 

When you get immigrants, you get competitors for the 
labor we have, as well as their own labor. 

In a former article on this subject, I showed that a 
sparse population could be governed more cheaply than 
a dense population; that there were less forgeries, less 
robberies, and less of all the vices of the day. If you get 
immigrants, you get all the isms known in the world. If 
you wish a, standing army, encourage immigration. All 
dense populations require a standing army to preserve 
peace and to protect life and liberty. Public liberty 
is near enough gone now; but a dense population would 
preclude all possibility of its ever returning. Reflect on 
history and the present population of the world. Look 
to China, for instance. If people can live cheaper and 
better in a dense population, why do they leave a dense 
population and their homes to go thousands of miles to 
find a sparse population ? It is because plenty of land 
and room insures plenty of all that is needed. 

I see it stated, since the war with the American Col- 
onies, that England has lost, by emigration, six million five 
hundred thousand persons; yet she has, to-day, more than 
four times the agricultural products that she had then. 
The loss of the surplus population gave the balance room 
to work and accumulate. How was this done? By im- 
proving the soil with manures ; doubling it by going down 
twice asi deep ; making it produce four times as much ; put- 
ting one portion of the savings in improved implements 
of farming, and another portion in manufacturing. ISTow, 
this is the kind of a labor I want. It produces' dividends, 
and the owners get them. 

Two tons of good guano will produce more cotton than 



178 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

an immigrant would, even if he belonged to you, like the 
guano. Both pay in their own cost. This is the only 
evil in guano ; likely to cause an over-production ; but 
in the case of guano, you only have to cease buying it. 
You haven't it to take care of. The immigrant you must 
work and feed. In the case of machinery, all you have to 
do is to cease to apply the water and steam until the sur- 
plus is consumed. Give me guano aud machinei-y forever, 
instead of immigrants. I contend we ^^an get more of 
both without immigrants than with them. 

Cotton from twenty to twenty-five centis per ]iound 
loaves a large amount each year, to invest in machinery 
and guano, if we will. Immigrants, and cotton at eight 
to twelve cents, will leave nothing. Since the war, I have 
paid about ten cents per pound for labor alone to produce 
cotton. Say cotton has averaged twenty- four cents ; one- 
third is eight cents, and the use of houses, wood, teams, 
etc., are equivalent to two cents more— making ten cents 
per pound. Some give more. It makes no difference 
Avhat terms you agree upon with labor, you have to feed 
and clothe the laborer and his family. Suppose you had 
tlouble the number of laborers, and you employ them at the 
lowest wages, feed and clothe them and their families, and 
sell your cotton crop at ante-war prices, where would be 
your profits ? 

Again, scarcity of labor and high prices for cotton give 
us a monopoly of the guano market. Guano, applied to 
crops, at the rate of from eight tO' twelve dollars per acre, 
Avill more than double the crops — producing more than the 
labor, land, stock and machinery, and the cost of the guano 
not much above the loss in machinery, mule feed and 



On Immigkation. 179 

tools, to say nothing about the expenses of the labor. Then, 
think of the difference! By doubling the number of 
laborers, without guano, you would exhaust and ruin the 
soil. Gaiano, to produce the same amount, will improve 
the soil in more ways than one. Whoever uses guano will 
break his land deeper and prepare it more thoroughly. 

As I claim to be the first who introduced guano in tlie 
C^otton States, I will caution you against over-production of 
cotton. Use guano and leave off immigrants. Produce 
about two million five hundred thousand bales only, till 
prices above twenty cents per pound stimulate a farther in- 
crease. Prepare for a panic by constant investments in 
stock, securities and machinery, even if not more than one 
hundred dollars annually. It will be a beginning. Keep 
at least six months' cash on hand for necessaries, that you 
may not have to force cotton sales. Should a cotton panic 
occur now, or after this, it would produce, in many cases, 
starvation. Make all your supplies, and the balance of 
y our labor in cotton will bring more money than all would. 
Every man believes this, yet somie say, "give us immi- 
grants." If you want to change a wrong principle per- 
manently, strike at the evil in truth. All the writers say, 
"make your supplies at home, and thereby keep your mon- 
ey at home." I must admit, I can not see it in that light. 
How can money be kept at home, and what good would 
it do if kept there ? Money is only valuable as the cheap- 
est and most convenient medium of exchange. These are 
my views. The cotton plant is a great power for good, and 
a rich legacy for us. How to make the most of it should 
be serious study and action of all. This is the remedy : 
Do not let it come below twenty cents, and, if poH«iible. 



180 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

keep it up to twenty-five cents. T do not think it to our 
interest to carry it beyond that pi'ice. TTow is this to be 
done \ Make all your supplies at home, and you will get 
the same amount of money for the balance of the labor 
that you would get for the whole, devoted to cotton. Yon 
would have less use for money and moae to put in ma- 
chinery ; and having more resources, you would suffer less 
in any panic. 

Money will go where it can buy most, and center where 
it is worth the least rate of interest. A man having 
money in Europe, where it is worth only three per cent., 
will come here for securities at five and six per cent. Con- 
tinued for years, it centers all dividends to that point on 
securities. 

Some complain that labor is scarce, and a few get all ; 
but they are better off under a scarce system than they 
would be under an abundant supply. This labor would 
be worth double; whereas, if there was an abundance of 
labor, it would produce cheap exports. In this case, none 
but large and skillful capitalists could work and feed the 
labor, and it would be the means of centering capital in 
a few hands. A man of capital and skill could work labor 
at a profit, when a small capital and less' skill would lose 
money. What now prevents the land from getting into a 
few hands but the fear and uncertainty of getting labor ? 

I will venture my advice: Hold on to your land; 
plough deep; manure; rest; improve your homes; make 
youir supplies; save money to invest; and finally, when 
called from the world, leave your land to your children, 
that it may support them and their children, as it did you ! 
The cotton plant is a power that, if used right, will in 



On Im]\[igration. 



181 



a short time give us all the capital we wish and make us 
the creditors' of the world! ! Let us strive to be the credi- 
tors. It is a much ])referable situation to being the debt- 
ors. Beware of foreign capital. It will only displace 
your o\^Ti, and be a growth that will ever keep you in 
the background. Very truly, 

Davtd Dickson. 




The Kind of Immigrants We Nked. 



Chapter XIII. 

BEST EXTRACTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF 
DICKSON. 

1. Never let it be said by posterity, that it is harder 
for them to live because you lived before them. 

2. An over-estimate as to the practical importance of 
deep and thorough breaking of lands for the cultivated 
crops can not be made. 

3. I always consider preparation the half, and the 
lieaviest half, of making the crop. 

4. I consider it just as deleterious to cut the roots of a 
plant as I would to cut the veins of an ox when I have him 
fattening. 

5. The product of the crop will be found to be in the 
ratio of the fertility of the soil. 

6. Patriotism says, "make your meat and bread at 
home and be independent." 

7. I have made money by giving my land one year in 
four to gather ammonia and humus. 

Ammonia is the foundation of English agriculture. 
With a little ammonia we can gather large amounts 
every year, and put it at compound interest. 

8. I believe in natural laws. Study nature; trace all 
things from cause to eifect, and effect to cause. 

9. There are just as' many ways to improve land as 
there are to waste it. 

Nature helps to waste, and helps to return. 



Extracts From the Writings of Dickson. 183 

10. Providence intended the earth to improve in fer- 
tility as it increases in population. 

11. The richer you make land the more you can draw 
from the atmosphere annually. 

12. 'If the guano comes in contact with the seed you 
will have a bad stand. 

13. Annual manures are preferable; they ought to 
double the investment. 

Soluble bone and Peruvian guano will square up ac- 
counts with one hundred per cent, profit. 

14. All vegetable matter placed on your fields will, in 
due time, turn to cotton and corn. 

15. Handle manure as little as' possible; but handle a 
great deal of it. Manure loses every time it is turned over 
and piled. 

16. Of all manures, ammonia is the cheapest and best 
crop grower, and does not exhaust the lands. 

17. The best time to break land for planting corn is ten 
days before planting; but the rule is, commence in time to 
break it. 

18. Land must be well broken before planting. Com- 
mence in time to do it; but the later done — in this latitude 
- — the better for the land. 

19. A man only gains hard work and more of it by 
^■ery early planting. 

20. The word stimulate is improperly applied to ma- 
nures ; this effect is owing to its solubility. 

21. Be vigilant to save all home-made manures pos- 
sible. 

22. Manipulate your land with vegetable mold. 

23. Plough deep, rotate your crops and rest your lands. 



184 Dickson's and Smith's Fakmixg. 

24. There is only so mueli corn and cotton in anv 
mannre, and the sooner you get it the hetter. 

25. I have made one bushel of coirn to every fifty-two 
stalks in the field. 

26. Turn in the weeds', grass, peas and clover ; make 
the land mellow. 

27. Plough deep, cultivate shallow, and you will have 
no trouble in growing crops. 

28. Clay lands will bear the same treatment as sandy 
lands, and with less difficulty. 

29. 'No matter the color of land, or whether sand or 
clay, keep up a full supply of vegetable mold ; break up 
deep before planting, cultivate lightly — the result will be 
good. 

30. Four distinct errors keep planters from making 
good corn crops^ — 

1. ISTot keeping sufficient mold in the land, 

2. Ploughing too shallow in preparing for the croji. 

3. Planting too thick. 

4. Cultivating too deep. 
Keep your land in good heart. 

Two hundred pounds' dissolved bones will produce all 
the fertilizing effects of one thousand pounds of bone dust. 

31. To manure land with peas, sow the peas the first 
of July. Drop the peas and guano in every third furrow, 
as you break the land. Tf a good crop be made, feed off 
v/ith stock — otherwise turn under. 

32. The true policy is to secure the greatest possible 
amount of soluble vegetable mold you can accumulate 
with the least cost. 



-b]xTRACTs From the Writings of Dickson. 185 

33. Tlie tnve svsteni of manuring is ti get tlie manure 
back the first year, with a living profit. 

34. We are only tenants at will, and have no right to 
use the soil in a way to destroy its capacity to maintain 
the present population and its future increase. 

35. Subsoil one-fourth of your land every year. 

36. Use the guano on all lands you plough or culti- 
A'ate — or everywhere, except in a hole of water or on a 
rock. 

37. Let sandy soils rest to accumulate vegetable mold 
and fasten the particles of sand together. Rest a clay 
soil for the opposite purpose of disintegi*ating the parti- 
cles of clay. 

38. Increase the fertility of the soil in a greater ratio 
than the population increases. 

30. The use of commercial fertilizers gives' the farmer 
the means of making double the quantity of home-made 
manures. 

40. Success is the only test that will do to try a farmer 
by. 

41. Mr. Dickson has made as high as fourteen bales 
of cotton per hand, besides other produce, stock, etc., to 
the market value of $1,000 per hand. 

42. Manuring will not exhaust land, if you put back 
each year more than you take from it. 

43. Improve agriculture, so that a given quantity of 
labor may produce double what it now does'; double the 
capacity of the land. 

44. With poor land but little manure will be accumu- 
lated without the purchase of manures. 



186 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

45. That land pays best with guano that pays best 
v'ithout it. 

46. Drain wet lands ; ditch hillsides ; then deepen your 
soil to the extent of your ability. 

47. Humus, clay, and a due proportion of sand, con- 
stitutes the best of soil to succeed under all circumstances'. 

48. A cotton plant to stand two weeks' drought must 
liave four inches soil and six inches subsoil ; three weeks, 
six inches soil and same subsoiling; four weeks, eight 
inches and same subsoiling, and for every week of dry 
Aveather, an additional inch, with the same six inches sub- 
soiling. 

To stand a ten weeks' drought, break the land sixteen 
inches, and six inches subsoil. 

49. Keep your labor at home. 

50. Always come to time. 

51. It is hard to transfer knowledge, and harder to 
transfer art and judgment. 

52. The planter should follow the laws that govern the 
universe. 

53. l^ot only can a living be made on poor land, but 
large fortunes. 

54. By training, hands can do double the amount of 
work with more ease, and less sweat and muscle. 

55. Mr. Dickson's hands used to pick three hundred 
pounds of cotton per day, and some as high as seven hun- 
dred pounds. 

56. The planter should mix his own manures, nnfl 
save the profit of manipulating. 

57. Fertilizers bring a crop of bolls on the cotton early. 

58. To improve the cotton plant, select seed every 



Extracts From the Writings of Dickson. 187 

year, after the first picking, up to the middle of October, 
taking the best stalks and the best bolls on the stalks. 

59. In selecting the Dickson cotton, which is the most 
prolific cotton of the day, select those stalks that send out 
one or more suckers from the ground, sometimes called 
arms. Secondly, frouT those that send limbs thick, with 
three to six bolls, from a half-inch to one and a half inches 
apart on the limbs. 

60. On all farms there are some acres that produce cot- 
ton better than others ; seed should always be selected 
from those spots. 

61. I do not approve of hill-planting; nor would I 
have a row nearer than four feet for cotton. 

62. Leave two or three stalks' in every hill, the distance 
of nine inches. 

Cotton planted thick in the drill matures and opens 
earlier. 

Cotton requires distance but one way. 

63. As manure, I consider ammonia the first, soluble 
bone the second test, salt and plaster good preventives of 
rust in cotton, besides possessing good fertilizing properties. 

64. To command nitrogen you must have all the neces- 
sary salts contained in the various plants. 

The more minerals, the more nitrogen you can command. 
The more nitrogen you store away in your land, the 
more you can obtain from the atmosphere. 

65. When land l>egins to tire with excess of lime and 
other minerals, sow it down in nitrogenous' plants, such 
as peas, clover, etc., and turn them under. 

66. I advocate mixing the valuable manures, to grow 



188 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

perfect plants; but if yoii use only one, let that be am- 
monia. It is the cheapest and best crop grower. 

67. To be successful in agriculture, you must know 
v.'here all the elements of plants are, and how to control 
them'. 

(j8. Cultivating' witli bull-tongiie ploughs makes divi- 
dends impossible. 

69. Do not be afraid of a little clay on top, or sub- 
soiling generally. 

One inch of clay each year, over a good soil, will do 
no harm in any land. 

70. If my system of farming is carried out, there is no 
use to break the ground but once a year. 

It requires till the 1st of May to do it right, and 
that is soon enough to finish. 

71. Fill your land vi li hir.iirs, to stick the sand to- 
gether and to darken it. This will prevent its reflecting 
the heat, and will cause it to receive it gradually, and 
part with it the same ^vay. 

With clay lands, do the same thing, to make it plongha- 
ble at all times. 

72. My system, both with hoe and sweep, is to shave 
off the grass. 

73. Vou can not tell till the seasonspas s over wh' n is 
the best time to plant cotton. 

Tliere is nothing made but hard work by planting snm- 
uier cro]>s in the winter. 

74. From te 10th t(i the 20th of April is the best time 
to plant cotton ; but if you can not plant sooner, plant in 
May. 

75. In 18GS 1 jdanted a twenty-acre lot, finishing the 



Extracts From thb Writings of Dickson. ] 89 

fifth, dav of May ; used eight hundred pounds of my com- 
pound per acre. It made thirty-two bales. The lint paid 
a net dividend on one thousand dollars' or niore per acre, 
after paying all expenses, and improving the capital ten 
per cent, on what it would sell for. Including the sale of 
the seed, it paid a dividend on four thousand dollars per 
acre. 

70. I have no doubt that, on good cotton land a fair 
year, I could make one hundred bales cotton, with one No. 
1 mule; commencing operations the 1st day of December; 
subsoil every acre; use twenty-five dollars worth of ma- 
nure per acre, and finish the 1st of May; cultivate sixty 
acres'; 

77. Accumulate all manner of labor-saving machines ; 
improve your land to a capacity double its present rates ; 
learn to do fifty per cent, more work with the same labor ; 
learn to apply your labor to greater advantage, and you 
Y.'ill find your products ample -without any increase of 
population. 

78. Apply one-half of all labor and land to the making 
of full supplies of all kinds that are needed on the plan- 
tation, and enough to spare for those engaged in other 
])ursuits, and you will get more money than if the whole 
was employed in making cotton. 

79. Leave no grass to bunch and cause a future bad 
stand. 

80. Plough cotton every three weeks, and let the hoe^, 
come ten days behind, cleaning it perfectly. 

Continue ploughing cotton till the 15th or 20 of August. 
Once or twice during the season shove out the mid- 
dle with one furrow, to keep the land level. 



190 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

The ploughing of cotton requires one and a fourth days 
per acre. 

81. All land has its capacity, with or without manure 
— greater when manured and prepared deep, to sustain a 
certain number of plants. 

82. Cotton plants commence when small to take on 
and mature bolls, and continue until they exhaust the sol- 
uble matter, or reach the full capacity of the land. Two 
stalks will do that much sooner than one, and will so avoid 
the late drought, caterpillar, etc. 

83. Eighty bolls of well-cultivated and matured cot- 
ton will make a pound. 

In four^fect rows, there will be eight stalks per yard 
and ten bolls on each stalk will make three thousand six 
hundred and seventy-five pounds, or two bales' per acre. 

84. The vegetable mold must be kept up to a good 
standard, approaching virgin soil. 

Cotton will grow after cotton a number of years in suc- 
cession, with plenty of manure. 

85. Rust is nothing but poverty, caused by the land 
being too porous, springy, sandy, not regularly worked, or 
M''ant of vegetable mold, potash, etc. 

The remedy is drain the surplus water off, close the 

particles of sand or clay with vegetable mold, and the 
use of the ''Dickson Compound," with the addition of 
potash in some form. 

86. T fin(] where salt and plaster were used, the cot- 
ton has stood the drought' best, and has less rust. 

87. Make just the amount of cotton wanted, at paying 
prices, keep out of debt, be the creditors, make the most 



ExTBACTS From the Writings of Dickson. 191 

of your supplies at home; then, and only then, will you 
have power, 

88. Make the corn for the sake of the corn ; but when 
the com is made and hard, and the fodder still green and 
good, pull it off — it will not hurt the com. 

89. In breaking land, commence at the foot of the hill, 
and circle round on a level, and finish on top. 

All litter will be put out of the way, and the grass seed 
covered so deep that they can not come up, 

90. Any land will make corn, if ploughed and culti- 
vated right. 

91. For cotton, use from four hundred pounds' to eight 
hundred pounds of the compound per acre. The more 
used up to eight hundred pounds, the greater will be the 
profit. 

92. With fifty-six hands, Mr. Dickson made and gath- 
ered in 1859, six hundred and sixty-seven bales cotton — 
over twelve bales per hand, besides one hundred dollars 
Avorth per hand of corn, bacon, etc., making fifty-five 
thousand dollars. 

93. Mr. Dickson once bought a plantation in Washing- 
ton county, with the negroes, stock and everything com- 
plete, and paid for the whole with one crop. 

94. Experience has shown that land when cultivated in 
cotton after rest, will produce a healthier weed, and will 
retain water better to keep the guano soluble. 

95. The reason that I prefer rest succeed small grain 
is because the land is then smooth, not open furrows to 
wash, and it is covered with stubble and small grass to 
[protect it. 

96. Rotation of crops, deep and deeper ploughing every 



192 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

jear, incorporation of vegetable mold retunTing the ^vhoIe 
proceeds of tlie cotton plant except the lint to the soil, 
making as much manure as possible — comprise mj system 
of improving lands. 

97. Large ears of corn are more easily gathered than 
smiall ones, and the same is true of perfect bolls of cotton. 

98. Compost manure should be spread on the ground, 
and applied immediately, so that the decomposition shall 
take place exactly where it is wanted. 

99. In manure, as in all other things, the great con- 
sideration is to economize labor ; and one of the great ob- 
jects of using commercial manures is, that it gives' you the 
the moans of increasing your compost. 

100. Almost all flesh and oil are obtained from the at- 
laosphere. 

101. From every source, let as much atmosphere into 
the land as possible. 

102. In fifteen years, Mr. Dickson doubled his' capital 
twenty times by planting. 

103. The three great cardinal points in the Dickson 
system of farming are — deep preparation, thorough manur- 
ing, and surface culture. 

104. To be successful in planting, you must study the 
habits of plants, their wants and soil adapted to them. 

105. The higher the latitude, the thicker corn may be 
planted; but even then it may be over-seeded. 

106. The great object of study and practice is to know 
how to vitalize the atmosphere, and to work up the ma- 
nures into the soil. 

107. There is no such thing as failure, when man does 
his duty in the cultivation. 



Extracts From the Writings of Dickson. 193 

108. During the cultivation, the rain on the land set- 
tles the soil to the roots of the plants and enables them 
more completely to draw all the soluble matter out of the 
soil. 

109. Where the soil does not reach more than from 
four to ten inches', I prefer the common long scooter of 
four to five inches width to subsoil with, because it mixes 
a portion of the soil every year with the subsoil. 

110. Breaking must be commenced in time to do it full 
and well by planting time; and the better the l>reaking is 
done, the easier the land is cultivated and the larger ihe 
crops. 

111. One of the objects of cultivation is to keep the 
surface broken, so as to let in light, heat and air. 

112. One reason why we should have a large extent 
of soil, and depth of pulverization, is because the roots 
are many times longer than the limbs or stalks, sometimes 
five or six times their length. 

113. All the labor required to cultivate corn is less 
than one day per acre. 

114. Corn manured and cultivated on my plan will 
be fully matured before the fodder begins to damage, and 
there will be no loss of com from pulling the blades. 

115. How to preserve corn. By proper preparation, 
maturing and cultivation, the ears will be sound and 
heavy. 'No other com can be kept long. Use the yellow 
flint variety. Let it thoroughly cure in the field. Pull 
it when dry, about the last of ISTovember. Put it up in 
the shuck, in a dark tight house and fill the house full. 

116. The earlier cotton is planted, the lighter it must 
be covered. 



194 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

117. In cultivating cotton never stop your ploughs for 
dry weather. 

118. The hoeing and ploughing of cotton during the 
cultivation of the crop closes' up the land sufficiently to 
cause the fruit to set finely. 

119. By placing the stalks thick in the drill, and w^ide 
apart, the land is less shaded and gets more light and sun. 

120. When I make a good crop, I always admit a lit- 
tle trash in picking— trashy cotton selling better than the 
blue cotton. 

121. In picking cotton, make but one lick at a boll. 
Pick the odd seeds left in the winding up of the season, 
if you have time. 

122. Teach your laborers how to work; how to do it 
with ease and efficiency ; and to do better and better work 
every day. 

123. Save a portion of your income every year, and buy 
everything for cash. 

124. Keep a cash capital equal to one year's expenses. 

125. Make all supplies at home that can be made. 

126. The cotton planter should make his whole sup- 
plies — everything necessary to run tlie farm. 

127. We want system of saving and properly invest- 
ing each year. 

128. The three great essentials are: First, the theory 
or true plan of farming ; second the art of controlling la- 
bor ; third, last and best, success depends on quick percep- 
tion wise judgment, that seldom or never errs. How is 
this to be acquired, except by the use of books, in conjunc- 
tion with practice ? 

129. The laborer must have confidence in the man that 



Extracts From the Writings of Dicksojj 1'J5 

directs. Yon must not only be superior to your laborers, 
but so far ahead of tlitni that they shall know that your 
plans' are wise, easy to put in practice, and certain of suc- 
cess. 

130. Always come to time, and keep a little ahead. 
Do the winter work in the winter, and the spring work in 
the spring, and do it well. Cultivate a little ahead of 
time; gather as soon as crops are ready. 

131. As the -."dividends on stocks constitute the true 
test of their value, so the crops and clear profits are the 
true test of any system of farming. 

132. Some men are born generals, some mechanics, 
some orators, some farmers ; but the great mass of men 
have to read, study and practice to become efficient in any 
calling they may select. 

133. The term "chopping cotton" should be expunged 
from the farmer's vocabulary. 

r^)tton slionld be thinned by shaving out across the 
drill — not dug out by choi)ping. 

134. l^ature is exact and jnits forth no superflnous 
roots to gTowing plants ! Hence every root should be 
spared. 

135. Tt is not my design to underrate supeq^hos- 
phates, but all to show that ammonia is the cheapest and 
best of all manures. 




jAMKs M. Smith. 



A Short Biographical Sketch 

OF 

JAMES M. SMITH 

GEORGIA'S MILLIONAIRE FARMER 

Written by G. F. HUNNICUTT, Editor The Southern Cultivator. 



Chapter I. 
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 

Ambition is one of the Strongest impulses that fires a 
human soul to desire higher attainment — that ever 
strengthens or expands the human mind in search for new 
ideas and more facts to enable it to accomplish its' plans — 
or that nerves the hand and makes it more skillful in ply- 
ing its trade that it may excel others. Ambition has been 
for ages the great force that has impelled onward to higher 
achievemient our warriors, our statesmen and professional 
men. And all our histories' have been written that they 
might be read by rising generations and kindle in them the 
plans of ambition through learning of the deeds of renown 
achieved by the great men of former days. The farmers, 
as a class, have lacked this great stimulus. But should we 
not profit by this method, and hold up to our children the 



198 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

lives and achievements of the few among ns' who have 
won such eminent snceess in our calling? Certainly we 
would be very unwise to further neglect so great an in- 
centive to better efforts on the part of our young farmers. 
Our older farmers can and should increase their fund of 
knowledge from this source ; and our younger ones need 
to kindle the flame of ambition in their breasts from these 
altars. It is true that strong ambition is born in many, 
and will push them forward to a high degree of success by 
the very strength of its innate force. These are few and far 
between, and the great majority must depend upon increas- 
ing the small sipark that is given and fan it into a flame by 
reading of the lives and work of the great men who have 
gone before. That our Southern farmers may have better 
opportunity to receive the benefit of such aid — is one of 
the purposes of this sketch. The other purpose is that 
The Oultivator Publishing Company proposes to get 
out a series of books that will give our Southern farmers 
a literature of their o\vn ; so that they may know the steps' 
whereby they have advanced and something of the leading 
successful farmers who have been the most potent factors 
in the agricultural developmient of the South. 

It is very well for us to have a literature written by ex- 
perts and college mien. It is all right for us to have govern- 
ment literature of a technical nature for our information. 
But it is far more essential that we treasure the life history 
of those who have embodied the most successful features of 
farming in their practical daily work, men who have done 
the actual deed, who have exemplified what can be done 
«ut in the fields. These are living examples and are of 



Biographical Sketch of James M, Smith. 199 

greater practical value than any expert testimony. Aiid 
a ISTapoleon of farmers is James M. Smith. 

The world is all agog with the wonderful achievements' 
of such men as Rockefeller and Morgan, and they have 
done wonders in amassing fortunes ; but they operate from 
the center of our financial system where a thousand 
avenues open up for investment and for manipulations 
which annually increase their gains. jSTot a single one of 
these multimillionaires has' accomplished more than Mr. 
Smith, when you come to consider the environment in 
^vhich he labored, and the barrenness of his opportunities 
for money making. Think of starting 40 years ago with 
$400 and increasing to more than a million, out on the 
farm — 17 miles from town, on the poor red hills of Geor- 
gia, for years growing 6 cent cotton and always struggling 
with ignorant negroes and trifling whites. 'No man could 
have done this who was not specially endowed with am- 
bition and with brains, and the truth is Mr. Smith has 
more natural brain force than any man weiaave ever seen. 
Then his capacity for organization of unorganizable ma- 
terial is something wonderful. We do not know any man 
who is as little understood or who has been as much ma- 
ligned. In giving this sketch I am not going to indulge 
in generalities or in superlatives'. I am going to tell the 
truth plain and simple, so that any one can imderstand, 
and if he is touchable, so that he will receive benefit from 
its perusal. I gathered this material first hand, and 

no hearsay matter is given. In starting out to make a 
success of farming a man should seek to get every available 
influence that will help liim, and the farmer who neglects 
or refuses the benefit he can get from the great successful 



200 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

career of Mr. Smith certainly acts unwisely and loses a 
potent factor in his life's work. 

it was our intention to s'ecnre a series of articles written 
hy Mr. Smith himself, and to publish these in "The Culti- 
vator" and afterwards to coinl>ine them in hook form ; but 
he has become so engrossed in business and his affairs have 
become so extensive that all his' time is consumed. We 
trust he may wind up his farm operations and be able to 
give us some of the promised articles in the future. This 
short sketch that I am writing is written for a specific pur- 
pose, viz. :- — to tell something of Mr. Smith's success, but 
more especially to show the reasons for his great success. 



Chapter IL 

SOMETHING OF HIS HISTORY AND START IN 

LIFE. 

James M. Smith was born in Wilkes county, Georgia, 
September 18th, 1840. He received his common school 
education in his' native county, and later attended tlie 
Hiawassee College, in Monroe county, Tennessee, where 
he graduated. After finishing college he taught school 
for a year or two and then decided to engage in farming. 
It was in the year 1866 when he first began to farm, and 
he located at Smithonia, in Oglethorpe county, Georgia, 
where he now resides. He commenced with a capital not ex- 
ceeding $400.00, and this included his stock, having 
bought his land on credit. 1886 was an unfavorable crop 
year, it rained continually from spring until fall, and no 
great yields could be made; so that instead of making 
something clear, he lost about $500.00. To use his own 
words he said : "Having lost everything I had, and the 
debt on my land becoming due, I was in a very awkward 
predicament, and I did not know exactly what to do. But 
I secured two clever men to gO' my security and borrowed 
$2,500. After paying the $1,600 due on the land, I had 
$900 to go on with the next year. In 1867 I made a bet- 
ter crop, but cotton went down to 11 cents in the fall when 
I had to sell, although it went back to 34 cents the follow- 
ing March. Having fanned two years without making' 
any money ; and the labor I had with me not doing the 
class of work that I knew should be done to secure the best 
results I resolved on a change. I had five tenants or crop- 



202 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

pers on the place, and they had each been following pretty 
much his own plan of farming, which of course was' not up 
to a very high standard, so I concluded that from now on 
I was going to be boss, and carry out my own ideas about 
farming. So Christmas I called them np ami told them 
my conclusions, and said, 'If you wish to stay you can do 
so, or you can leave. If you remain, you must be guided 
by miy judgment in conducting your farming for the en- 
suing year, since from now on things are going as I say, on 
this place.' Two stayed and three left. I supplied their 
places and we went to work. In 1868 I made a better crop 
and got better prices for it, so I miade some money, and in 
1869 I made a little more money. In the meantime I had 
been clearing more land and getting things in better 
shape, so in 1870, having gotten more hands and having 
bought more land, I made a good crop, making 210 bales 
of cotton and everything that I needed to run my fann, 
and all this witliout using a pound of fertilizer. So, above 
all expenses, I cleared $10,000'. This was the beginning 
of my success. Then I began to lay bigger plans. My 
ambition expanded. Up to this time I had fully intended 
to go West. I desired to go to Texas, and a friend of mine 
who had gone out there and succeeded, offered to give me 
2,000 acres of land on the Brazos' River if I would come 
out. I would have gone but for the fact that I had gotten 
in debt and kept buying more land and keeping in debt, 
until I did not feel as if I could leave without fully dis- 
charging my obligations. So you see, I never made any 
plans to carry out my present extensive operations, al- 
though I always had plenty of energy and was ambitious 
to carry out successfully anything I undertook ; so my 



Biographical Sketch of James M. Smith. 20i> 

achievements have been a process of development and not 
the carrying out of a preconceived plan. In other words, 
I have grown with my business, and it is about the only 
way one can keep things well in hand." 

One thing called for another, and Mr. Smith began the 
development of the great estate which he was gradually 
acquiring. 



ClIArTEB III. 

WHAT TIE JIAS ACCUMULATED AND THE AN- 
NUAL CHOPS PRODUCED. 

I eun not undertake to go from year to year and give 
every detail as to Mr. Smith's progress, but 1 will now 
give you a review of what he made and has around him. 
Naturally he soon had to have a gin, then a mill, saw 
mill, a blacksmith shop and a store. As his operations 
extended, he felt the need of an oil mill and a guano fac- 
tory. Being off some distance from the railroad, he built 
a railroad of his own to Dunlap, seven miles in length, to 
tap the Georgia Railroad at this point, so as to reduce the 
amount of hauling necessary to be done. Having started, 
and tlu! Seaboard Air J^ine coming near his place, he ex- 
tended the road to Colbert, five miles distant, making in 
all twelve miles of railroad of his own. Clearing up large 
new-grounds, and having need for so much wood for his 
engines and hands, he had a three-mile spur that he used to 
run out to these clearings to haul the wood ; and often he 
used this road to haul in his crops'. For instance, one year 
he sowed 800 acres in wheat in one field and threshed over 
12,000 bushels. It would have been quite an item to have 
hauled this three miles in wagons, especially when mules 
were needed in the crop. So he hauled it in box cars — 
thus dispensing with need of so many sacks. Often he 
would take his hoe hands to and from the field on his train. 
Another year he planted this 800 in corn and made 16,000 
bushels and hauled it all home in the cars, not having to 
haul more than a half to a mile in the wagons to load it. 



206 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

One year he had a ten-horse farm down at Dunlap that he 
had no tenants on, so he had to cultivate it from home, 
with his wages hands. lie wouhl put hib' mules in a stock 
car and the hands in a box car and carry them to and from 
their work. He was not contented to manufacture fer- 
tilizers for his farm alone, but began to sell in the sur- 
rounding counties, until his fertilizer output annually 
reaches a total of 3,000 tons. 

He kept buying all the lands adjoining him until he 
owned 25,000 acres. He ran for years as many as 400 
plows', and his crop production was as follows: 4,000 
bales of cotton, one year going to 4,100 ; 30,000 bushels of 
corn; 15,000 bushels of wheat, and 20,000 bushels of oats. 
He had YOO head of cattle. Milked as high as 200 cows 
and sold as much as 25,000 pounds of butter in a year. He 
killed as many as 300 head of hogs, that averaged 250 
pounds net of pork each. While making such crops he 
cleared large amounts of money, and soon became an ex- 
tensive money-lender as well as farmer. Here his sound 
Imsiness judgment served him equally as well as in his 
farm operations ; so his fortune grew rapidly. Mr. Smith 
stayed at home and attended strictly to his business. If 
you wanted to see him you could go to his home with the 
certainty of finding him there. He did not run to town 
every day ; but at the end of each day he had in his mind 
the full details of the operations upon his place, and could 
tell just what had been accomplished in each department. 
Having a wonderful brain and memory, he trained it by 
continued business application until every detail of his 
operations was at his command. He had many white men 
and negro foremen to carry out his instructions'; but they 



BiOGKAPiiicAL Sketch of James M. Smith. 207 

made daily — or rather nightly — reports to him. He never 
rested until all the work of the day had been reviewed and 
the plans for the next day had been decided upon. He 
could never have succeeded as he did without a strict sys- 
tem ; but this system was peculiarly his own. He was the 
center from which everything must go and come. He gave 
instructions' what was to be done — and then he received 
daily reports as to how the work was progressing. 

Mr. Smith made his start through farming, and this 
has constituted his principal source of revenue all his life, 
still he has made good money out of legitimate side-lines, 
such as his oil mill and fertilizer factory. He was one 
of the first men in the South to see the opportunity in 
these lines of business, and began operating both over 
twenty years ago, when seed were cheap and there were 
larger profits in the business than even there are to-day, 
though they still constitute one of the most profitable lines 
of business in the South. 

I can not say how many hundred thousands of dollars 
he has made in this' manner, or by investments, loans or 
discounts. But the fact remains that his principle occu- 
pation is, and always has been, strictly farming. He has 
not only lived u])on the farm, Init has given it his personal 
supervision from day to day and year to year; and at 
least three-fourths of his fortune has' been made out of 
the soil and his management in securing profitable crops. 
It is nothing but business farming to manufacture one's 
products so as to command the highest possible price — • 
to manufacture fertilizer for his own hands and those of 
his neighbors — to use his money in all the ways possible 



i^OS Dickson's and Smith's Fahmino. 

so iis to pi'oiliicc more iiiid lo iiwikc the clf'sti" ])roHt *;i'oat('r 
oil nil tliiil lie (Iocs proiliiiicc If Mr. Sitiilli luid not uscl 
BiH'Ji jiidftiiifiit iind skill, it would of course have been ini- 
possble for him to amass his' great fortune. Much of his 
money was made hy investing in land wlien it was eheajy; 
l)ut this was simply oiic^ instance where he exhibited liis 
v.isdoiri. The key to all successful farming lies in the 
produelion of good crops', and then the investment of 
one's profits wisely so they may assist him in making 
moi'e money: and this Mi'. Smith has certainly doii(\ 



Chapter IV. - 

SOME INSTANCES OF SPECIAL CROPS AND 
THE PROFITS THEREFROM. 

Upon my asking him what were the most profitable 
erops he had grown, he replied, ''I once made 79 bnshels 
of wheat on two acres, and this was when wheat was worth 
$1.50 per bushel, and then pnt the land in cotton and made 
a bale per acre, I have frequently sown rye and gotten 
two cuttings of green feed and then planted in cotton and 
made a bale per acre. This' was my custom when I kept 
so many cattle : I would put out the stable manure broad- 
cast in the fall, sow in rye and follow by cotton. Besides 
making fine crops the land was greatly improved and is 
very fertile to-day, as you can see. I have made as high 
as 65 bushels of corn per acre on as much as ten acres and 
:had a 500-acre field to average me 40 bushels of corn per 
acre. In this field I found some stalks wdth as high as 
nine ears on a stalk. It was a very prolific variety. In 
the cotton line I took an acre and fertilized it highly to see 
how much I could make on it, and the first year I gath- 
ered 820 pounds of lint. The second year I took in a 
little more land, making the patch IVI acres, and made 
1,000 pounds of lint, and the third year went up to 1,200 
pounds. The fourth year it was very dry and I went back 
to 900 pounds. The fifth year I made 1,500 pounds' and 
the sixth year I got 1,620 pounds. The seventh year it 
fell back to 1,200 pounds, the eighth year ran up to 1,950, 
and in 1908 I made my record yield of 2,047 pounds of 
lint. Had I continued I believe I could have made five 



BlOGRAPJIICAL Sl-GETCH OF JaMES M. SmITH. 211 

bales on the 1^/4 acres or four bales per acre. Tbe best 
farming that I have ever done, was on a 400-acre field, 
just above the cattle barns. This field was neglected and 
run down, so I took a notion to see what I could do with 
it. I had it properly terraced and ditched, as it was pretty, 
rolling land, and put some manure first on the poor and 
gullied spots, then continued until I broadcasted stable 
manure all over it. When I first started I only made 200 
pounds of lint cotton per acre. The next year I went up 
to 250 — then 300, 400 and finally up to 450 pounds per 
acre. I kept an account with this field and after paying 
all expenses' for fertilizers and labor, I cleared $25 per 
acre or $10,000 per year for a period of ten years. This 
would mean $100,000 for ten years, or put out at interest 
at 8 per cent, would amount to $136,000, and if interest 
was again loaned or compound you would have the total 
of $144,865.70. Then, too, the land itself had increased 
in value. If it was worth ten dollars per acre at the time 
I started, it is now worth at least $40 per acre." 

This would make his net gain of income on this 400 
acres run up to $156,865.70, so you can begin to see where 
he got his vast fortime. 

We went out to see this field and we concluded it was 
worth every cent of the last named figure. We give our 
readers a cut showing this field, and we think they will 
agree with us that it is worth the money. Mr. Smith has 
not been an all-cotton farmer. He has practiced diversifi- 
cation. He has not spent his energies on lot patches ; his 
aim has been to make fair yields and profitable crops on 
all the land he cultivated. He believed in taking care of 
the land, in plowing deep, and above all things in working 



212 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

or cultivating the growing crops well. Often an indi- 
vidual cropper would fall short, but generally he would 
manage to help him out, in case of sickness or any mis- 
fortune, so as to make all his hands' make profitable crops. 



Chapter V. 

THE KEY TO HIS SUCCESS AND HOW HE MAN- 
AGED LABOR 

I asked him to give me the things which insured his 
success. His answer was, "My success was largely due 
to three things' : First, my energy or industry ; second, my 
ability to manage labor, and third, my judgment in invest- 
ing Mdsely. I had another turn of mind. I always ob- 
served very closely, and would catch an idea here and one 
there, and master them, until they became my own. I 
learned to understand thoroughly what certain work could 
and would prodvice. Then I always believed in doing 
things well. Don't believe in slighting even the laying off 
of a row or the dropping of corn. I measured accurately 
the distance of my rows and the space which the corn was 
dropped. Then I sought to learn what was best to do, at 
any given time, even down to taking care of the plows and 
tools. For instance, some things you can put off and 
some you can not. You can put off plowing your cotton 
a week, but not your corn when the time comes. Then if 
you want to make grain, when the time comes to sow it 
you must do it then, and let other things wait. I have had 
needed all the intelligence that I possessed or could ac- 
quire. I would not have succeeded so well had I not been 
pretty well educated to start with. You see, a farmer has 
many elements of uncertainty to contend with. First, 
there are the uncertain seasons ; second, labor ; third, the 
prices he is to get for his products, and fourth, health. So 
you see a farmer must have intelligence, judgment and 



214 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

tact to turn these elements of uncertainty into a successful 
issue. 

"As to labor, the key to my success in managing it has' 
been, that I always fix responsibility upon every indi- 
vidual, white or negro. I tell a man, 'I want you to go 
and do this thing in this way — and if it is a success you 
are entitled to the credit, but if it fails you are subject to 
censure,' and if this does not bring out the best in a man — 
then there is no best in him. I never allowed two negroes 
to plow in the same 'land,' or to plow in the same row — as 
I wanted to be able to fix this responsibility on one man, 
if the work was not done properly." 

Mr. Smith is a fine judge of human nature. He can 
come as near seeing through a man as any one living. He 
has learned how to get hold on negroes and whites : if there 
is any way to induce them to do good work he could soon 
learn it. But this mucli was certain, if they stayed around 
him, work they must. There was no room for drones 
around his hive. Of course all fortunes must be based 
upon two things : work and management. Somebody must 
do the work and a head must do the managing. I will 
never forget one rainy day in January I went down to 
see Mr. Smith on some business. When I drove up before 
the house, some one told me he was down where the hands 
were clearing a new ground. He had seventy-five axes 
cutting, twenty-five men splitting up the wood, over 
twenty negroes hauling the wood out of the way and some 
fifty women and children were piling brush, picking up 
trash and burning as they went. Thus ten or more acres 
a day were cleaned for the plow. But I started to tell you, 
when Mr. Smith came up I inquired as to his health. He 



Biographical Sketch of James M. Smith. 215 

replied he was not well. Tlien T suggested that a man of 
his means had no business out in such weather. To this 
he replied, in his characteristic way, "I'll tell you, it is 
one of the penalties God Almighty has put upon success- — 
that you give personal attention to your business." He 
has given personal attention to every detail of his business 
and he has not considered farming of such a low order as to 
demand less skill or less ability than other avocations. 
Mr. Smith has a most wonderful memory. When he owned 
400 mules he knew each one by name; and when there 
were about 1,000 negroes on his place he could call each 
one by name that was over eight years old and tell you 
who his parents were. The admiration the negroes had 
for him was marvelous. They considered it an honor to 
work for him and to live on his place — ^that is, those who 
liked to work. He made it "too hot" for those afraid of 
work, and the tales told of his' severity upon his labor are 
told by this class. 



Chapter VI. 

CONVICT'S NOT ESSENTIAL TO HIS SUCCESS— 
HIS TREATMENT OF LABOR. 

If you speak of Mr. Smith's success, nine times out of 
ten you will meet with this comment, "Oh, well, he made 
his fortune by working convicts." Now, I am not writing 
this sketch as a defense of Mr. Smith, only so far as the 
truth goes: my aim is to wi'ite the facts, and to bring out 
anything in his achievements that may be helpful to others. 
So I asked him pointedly these two questions : 1. "Were 
convicts essential to your success' as a farmer ?" 2. "Did 
you make money by using them on the farm or by sub- 
leasing them ?" And here is his reply : 

"No, they were not at all essential to my success. The 
truth of the matter was, I was making my fortune rapidly 
before I had any convicts. Then I always' had more than 
ten free laborers to one convict. On the whole, I think 
convicts were a disadvantage. You see, I could not handle 
them cheaply on the farm or work them to advantage. The 
only Avay they paid me anything was in clearing up land 
and ditching. They did help me in building my railroad. 
You see, I seldom kept more than fifty on my farm. Then 
I had to pay for guards, doctors and for escapes, all extra. 
As for those I hired out, there was not as much profit as 
many suppos'e. I did not get the prices they brought in 
later years. I sub-leased most of them for $60 per year. 
In clearing much of my land, I would have been better off 
if I had not had them at all. The timber on that land 



BiOGEAPHiCAL Sketch OF James M. Smith. 217 

now would bring me $100 an acre. So you see they en- 
abled me to rusb on to my own injury. The late Capt. 
L. D. Grant and myself tried to run a large farm in 
Oconee county with, convict labor alone, and although it 
was one of the finest farms in the State, and although we 
made fair crops, we actually lost money ; and the only way 
we saved ourselves was, by selling the land at an advanced 
price." 

Personally, I have known several who tried to imitate 
Mr. Smith in the convict business on the farm, and not 
one of them made a signal success, and two of them broke 
outright. So, I do not believe Mr. Smith's success or for- 
tune was in any way dependent upon convicts. 

Then there have been many tales told concerning his 
treatment of free labor. I made special investigations and 
find from reliable s'ources that these "reports" are without 
foundation, only so far as some one did not want to M^ork, 
and then he made things ''hot" for him ; as he should have 
done. He took both white and black labor as they would 
come. Many had no character and their main desire was 
to get all they could and to give as little return as possible. 
To control the class of labor that he had to contend with, 
he was compelled to have rules and to enforce them. He 
stood ready always to carry out his part of any contract 
and who can blame him for insisting on laborers carrying 
out their part of the contract ? His plan was simply busi- 
ness — and this did not suit a great many, of course, and 
this class could not circulate reports too damaging to ]Mr. 
Smith's character and system. 



Chapter VII. 

THE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM HIS 
CAREER. 

Any fair-minded man shonld always be ready to receive 
aid or instructions from any one who can give it. The 
(|uestion you should ask yourself is, Can Mr. Smith teach 
me anything? Can I learn any helpful lesson from his 
success? Wherein is his career beneficial to me? When 
you consider that he started out with only $400 forty 
years ago, and has made out of his farm operations a for- 
tune exceeding a million and many say two millions — 
when you consider his ability to control labor — to carry 
out large plans — to take such unskilled labor and diverse 
material and by the force of his genius mold them into 
such a systematic whole and wield it as effectively as' has 
James M. Smith, then there is something radically de- 
ficient in the mind which can not learn many profitable 
lessons from his career. 

It is very unfortunate how readily our people decry the 
rich. How readily they will believe anything circulated 
derogatory to their character, without any investigations. 
Men do not snceced by accident. Great success is the re- 
sult of great plans effectively carried out. We should seek 
to learn the steps that have led up to the goal. Whether 
or not you can endorse all that a successful man does, you 
still should seek to choos'e out those points that A^'ould be 
helpful to you. Listen to this good advice from Mr. 
Smith : 

"A great mistake the average farmer makes is, he will 



Biographical Sketch of James M. Smith. 219 

not learn from the experience of others nor seek advice in 
time. He waits until he-gets in a hole — and then he wants 
somebody to tell him how to get out. He should have 
learned to keep out. I have met thousands of men in my 
time who never knew when they came to 'the fork in the 
road.' There is always' a point where the roads to success 
and to failure fork. The only wise way is when you come 
to this 'fork,' if you do not know which road to take do 
not go any farther until you ask some one who has trav- 
eled the road and who knows which prong leads to success 
and which to failure. A young man should always strive 
to learn more. The man who increases his fund of knowl- 
edge has' done a great deal for himself, especially for his 
future success." 

In conclusion, I want to say, Mr. Smith is one of the 
greatest men the South has produced. Endowed with a 
masterly brain, a wonderful memory, and a great ambi- 
tion, he went out in the country — ^seemingly away from 
opportunity ; but so strong was his individuality that he 
forced things his way. Instead of going from his farm 
to "the marts' of trade," he brought the marts of trade to 
his farm. He was the center of the great world which he 
had created and from him everything went forth and all 
things must return under his supervision. He never went 
to sleep, Avhether it was 2, 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, 
until he had received a report from all his foremen as to 
the work of the day and had given full directions as to 
the work for to-morrow. His system was peculiarly his 
own. But great success cro^^med his efforts because a great 
brain directed his plans. He has shown that there is not 
only more in the roan than there is in the land — but also 



220 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

more in the man than there is in the occupation. That 
snecess lies with the individual and his ability. So to all 
farmers his career should be an inspiration — an incentive 
to renewed energy and struggle— and all farmers' who de- 
sire to succeed should stop at the point "where the road 
forks" and ask the way and also by what means did James 
M. Smith travel the road to fortune so successfully. 



WASTE ON THE FARM. 



BY HON. JAMBS M. SMITH. 



This subject calls to mind a matter deserving, at the 
hands of every farmer, serious consideration. The habit 
of waste on the farm has been in vogue so long it has be- 
come with many of us almost second nature. We, wheth- 
er landlord, tenant, cropper or the man who works for 
wages on the farm, are all guilty of waste, neglect, care- 
lessness, no thought of to-morrow, want of skill, correct 
knowledge of our business, and last, though by no means 
least, idleness. 

The subject is most opportune. It will be of great 
benefit to the farmers to have their attention at this 
particular time, when everything is so high-priced, called 
to the great waste which they are permitting to go on 
constantly from year to year without making the proper 
effort to stop it. Let each farmer ask himself the ques- 
tion, "How much during the past year has been wasted 
and lost on my farm for the want of proper attention 
and care ?" If we farmers will heed and mend our ways 
the saving will be great. I do not think I exaggerate when 
I state that if the farmers would reduce the waste on the 
farm to a minimumi, the average saving of the average 
farm would be not less than five per cent., annually, on the 
value of the entire farm. In many cases it will be more. 

No industrial, manufacturing or mercantile business 
can bear such waste as is usual on the farm without be- 
coming speedily bankrupt. Large streams are formed 



222 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

by many small streams coming together, so many small 
wastes when summed up and put together show great 
loss — much greater than many of us imagine. These 
wastes continuing from year to year cause fortunes to be 
lost. 

Many farmers whose energies and efforts deserve suc- 
cess meet failure while many other farmers with scarcely 
as much energy and effort, succeed. The former class 
are careless and permit many leaks and wastes, while 
the latter class are careful, watchful, painstaking, and per- 
mit no waste which can be avoided. 

It is an old and wise saying, ''Take care of the dimes 
and the dollars will take care of themselves." Another 
equally as wise and true saying is, "There is more in 
saving than in making." 

There are so many losses, wastes and leaks on the 
farm arising from so many different causes that forty 
chapters could scarcely enumerate half of them. 

Neglect and carelessness is one of the causes. We 
have all read the story of a great battle lost on account 
of neglect. The story runs : 

A courier on the evci of a great battle canying an im- 
portant message to a general on one of the armies, stopped 
on the way to have his' horse shod. The blacksmith neg- 
lected or failed io (lri\'e and clinch only one nail in one 
shoe. The slioo came off for want of this nail. The horse 
became lame for the want of this shoe and the horse be- 
coming lame his ability to travel was retarded and the 
courier failed to deliver the message to the general in 
time. The general failing to get the message in time lost 



Waste on the Farm. 223 

the battle, and losing the battle changed the destiny of a 
great nation. 

CsBsar on his way to the Forum was handed a sealed 
letter informing him of a conspiracy to assassinate him 
that day, which he neglected to open and read. The 
world is familiar with what followed. 

Many crops have been cut off from equally as small 
neglects. I once hited a negro to herd a large number of 
cattle. These cattle were grazing in a pasture about 
the first of July, adjoining a fifty-acre field of corn which 
l)id fair to yield forty bushels to the acre. The corn had 
just been laid by. The negro went to sleep, the cattle 
broke out of the pasture and virtually destroyed the whole 
field of corn. I thus lost two thousand bushels of corn 
together with the fodder and shucks, all of which were 
w^orth $2,000.00. When the negro waked up and found 
the cattle were in the cornfield he ran away and never 
made any report, hence it was two or three days before 
I found out what had occurred. I then hired two other 
negroes, who for the purpose of designation I will call 
I^o. 1 and ISTo. 2. ISTo. 1 agreed to go with the cattle 
during the day and watch them from the time they were 
turned out of the pen in the morning until they returned 
in the evening to be penned for the night. 'No. 2 agreed 
to conceal himself from No. 1 and catch him as:leep if he 
could. Every time No. 2 caught ISTo. 1 asleep I agreed 
to pay No. 2 $2.00 as' a reward and charge it to No. 1, 
I congratulated myself of the cute plan I had adopted. 
No. 1 would pay for his own sins and No. 2 would be paid 
for his diligence and faithfulness. The plan I imagined 
was somewhat automatic. No. 1 was certain to keep 



224 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

awake knowing that if he went to sleep No. 2 would 
catch him, and he would lose most, if not all of his wages 
and No. 2 would be on the alert to make $2.00 as often as 
he could. 

Not long after this plan was set on foot the cattle broke 
out of the pasture and destroyed a neighbors crop which 
cost me several hundred dollars. When the facts came 
' to light I found that No. 1 and No. 2" had gone into part- 
nership. No. 2 gave No. 1 half of the reward paid to 
him, and both slep't whenever they wished. I paid No. 2 
enough for reporting No. 1 to afford both good wages. 
They both had a good time at my expense. One of these 
negroes told a neighbor and friend of mine "Dat if Marse 
Jim wid his jedgment and eddication was sharpe like us 
niggers he would do well." In my haste like David when 
he said, "All men are liars," I told both of these negroes 
they were not adapted to herding cattle, but ought to be 
lawyers and politicians. If any one will show me where 
David ever took back what he said, I will apologize to the 
lawyers and politicians. 

I relate these things in order to show how some of the 
losses on the farm come about, and further to show the 
difficulties in the way of avoiding these losses. 

In old times when the farmers neglected to stop the hog 
holes in the fence, the hog got into the field and rooted 
the com. Now, if the farmer fails to stop the hog hole 
in the fence, the hog gets out of the pen or pasture and 
roots up the com just the same. Whether we have fence 
law or stock law, the hog hole in the fence must be stopped, 
or else the com is liable to be rooted up. The only way 
to remedy this hog hole in the fence is to stop raising 



Waste on the Farm. 225 

hogs. This we can not well afford to do at the present 
high price of pork. 

This brings to mind the fact that the farmer by dili- 
gence, watchfulness and constant attention to his business, 
can stop many of the wastes. Leaving the gate open and 
the bars down, his stock getting out in the crop, has caused 
many a farmcT considerable loss. Besides he is some- 
times late getting to meeting, and generally owes the church 
apologies for the hasty remarks which he had made. 

If we farmers in the conduct of our business would be 
punctual and prompt, and allow no opportunity to escape 
us for doing things at the proper time and in the proper 
way, many wastes might be avoided. It is a golden rule 
never to put off until to-morrow what we can do to-day. 

Procrastination is one of the great obstacles to success- 
ful farming. Many farmers postpone until next week 
that which they have an opportunity for doing this week. 
This week the ground is in good condition and we can 
plow ; next week the ground is too wet and we can not plow. 
This week we can cut our grain ; next week the rain and 
wind have blown it down, and not more than half of it 
can be saved. This week if we plant our com thete is 
enough moisture in the ground to bring it up promptly; 
next week the ground is too dry to germinate the seed, and 
the seed will often lay in the ground for weeks before theire 
is any rain to bring them up. The same is true in plant- 
ing cottonseed and other crops. This week the ground is 
in order and can be plowed and pulverized nicely. Next 
week it has become too dry, and can only be broken by 
bursting up clods. 

The farmer often consoles himself in planting late that 



226 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

he has killed a coat of grass, forgetting that he has also 
lost one good picking of cotton. 

N^eglecting to water the horse at the proper time causes 
the horse to drink too much water when he gets an oppor- 
tunity to drink an<l drinking too much water at a time 
often produces colic, and the horse dies. 

The hay can be cut and saved this week. Next week it 
is raining and it can not be cut and cured, and the week 
after that the hay is killed by the frost and lost. 

Another great source of wastes and loss to us farmers 
is want of proper knowledge and information. Without 
this knowledge and information we improperly prepare 
our land, do not give our cotton and corn proper space, 
and sow our oats and wheat too thick or ton thin. 

I once had a man to sow a field of oats for me. He 
sowed from three to four bushels per acre. The land was 
rich and well fertilized. The yield of oats from this 
field was only 5 bushels to the acre. Had the proper quan- 
tity of seed been sown on this land, no doubt the yield 
would have been at least thirty bushels to the acre. 

Idleness is one of the great causes of waste and loss and 
failure on the farm. It is worse than droughts, excess of 
rain, storms or frosts. Idleness is the waste of time, and 
time once lost can never be regained. Idleness in all ages 
by civilized and enlightened people has been reckoned as 
one of its greatest sins. The Divine command is that we 
shall all earn our bread by the sweat of our brow. In 
vain are our days prolonged if we idle away our time. In 
many cases, in no other occupation is there so much idle- 
ness as on the farm. 

For the purpose of showing the difference between waste 



Waste on the Farm. 227 

and saving, I will divide the farmers into two classes ; 
viz. the ignorant, the wasteful and idle class ; and the in- 
telligent, saving and industrious class. The first class do 
not work half of their tim«. 

Frequently during the months of January, February 
and March, the land is too w^et to plow. During these 
months the first cla&:s of farmers named, idle away the 
greater part of their time. They shuck no corn, generally 
have none to shuck; beat out no peas; haul no straw and 
litter into the stalls and lots to increase the manure pile, 
make no axe and hoe handles, turn up and mend breaks in 
no terraces, do not work on the upland ditches, or any 
other ditches, cut no briars and bushes which have grown 
up on the terraces and ditch banks, and clean off no fields 
to be ready for the plow. They have no pastures or gar- 
dens of any consequence, and make no efforts to have any. 
The horse troughs are on the ground with a rock in each 
end as a feeble attem])t to ]U'event the corn from 'beinu 
wasted. Their stable doors are down, and they stop up 
their stables with poles or rails crossed in the stable doors. 
Their lot gates are off the hinges or without any fasten- 
ings. Their lot fences are often down. They make no 
effort to accumulate any manure, and if any accumulates 
in the stalls they occasionally throw it out in the lot where 
it is washed off down the gullies to the branches by the 
rains. They make no attempts to raise cattle, hogs or 
colts. They have no shelters for their cattle. If they 
sow any wheat, it is done in December when the gTound 
is too wet and of course, make but little wheat. They sow 
no oats in the fall, but late in the spring they liuy some 
Western oats on credit and sow them on thin land without 



228 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

any fertilizer and virtually make no oats. They sow no 
barely or rye in order to have green forage for their stock 
early in the spring. They half prepare their land and 
half plant their crops, plow and hoe but little, and always 
lay-by their crops early. They ride around over the neigh- 
borhood, tattle from one to the other, and often create 
strife among their neighbors. They visit the cross roads 
and village stores and frequently the city. They can 
seldom be found at home. They make no effort to im- 
prove the land or in any way take care of it. 

Such farmers raise poor crops and generally come out 
in debt. They hunt a new merchant every year from 
whnm to obtain credit, and then curse out the merchant who 
furnished them the year before. They take little or no in- 
terest in gathering their crops. If they are much in debt 
they leave the greater part of their cotton in the field 
for their creditors to pick. There is no computing the 
waste and loss they entail upon the country in which they 
live. 

An intelligent and industrious class of farmers are great 
benefactors to the country in which they live. They are 
generally successful. They find work to do on the farm 
every day in the year and regret their inability to do more 
work. 

Early in the fall they prepare well and fertilize heavily 
patches in which they sow barley or rye in order to have 
green food for their stock early in the spring. They 
know that green forage early in the spring is both food 
find medicine for their stock. 

They prepare their land well and fertilize with both 
barnvard and commercial fertilizers and sow their wheat 



Waste oisr the Farm. 229 

and oats early in the fall. They know by experience 
that small grain crop= sown early in the faP yield much 
heavier crops than if sown late. They have learned from 
obseiwation, from experience, and from thf experience 
of others, the proper quantity of grain to be. sown per 
acre. In the winter or spring months when tne weather 
is more or less inclement and the land is too wot to plow, 
they repair the buildings on the farm, and build new ones 
when necessary. They cut, haul up and put undf r shelter 
their year's supply of stove and fire Avood. They turn up 
their terraces and mend the breaks, and clean out and 
repair their ditches. They place com and cotton stalks, 
leaves and other litter in the washes in the fields, and in 
plowing lift their plows over these washes and dum.p the 
dirt from their plows and thus level up the land. They 
work the plantation roads. They haul pine straw and 
litter of all kinds, sometimes rich dirt from places where 
it can be spared, and put such things into their horse and 
cow stalls. They haul in and scatter leaves and litter over 
their lots and make every effort to get up as much barnyard 
and stable manure as possible. They arrange tor the 
drains from their lots to run into the adjoining fields. On 
rainv days they shuck and shell their corn and have it 
ready for use. Tliey brat out their peas and have thom 
ready for use or market. If they have no shop or shop 
tools', they build shops and buy some tools and repair 
their wagons and other vehicles. They feed their cattle, 
horses or mules, hogs and other stock with care and judg- 
ment. They feed them at a time only what they will eat 
np clean. They keep their stalls, doors, gates and fences 



2.'50 Dickson's and Smttii's Farmincj. 

in good repair. They keep their stock under shelter, and 
in eohl weather make their stalls comfortahle. 

When the land becomes sufficiently dry, they prepare 
it well, plow it deeply, fertilize it heavily, and plant their 
spring crops as eaidy as the seasons will permit. They 
cultivate their crops well, and gather them without waste 
or loss, or allowing them to damage in the fields. They 
raise their own meat, some cattle and colts, all the wheat, 
corn, oats and forage they need, and sometimes some for 
sale. They take care of their plantation tools, pursue the 
proper system of rotation of crops, keep vegetable matter 
in tlieir land, which causes the land to produce better 
crops and saves it from w^ashing. They stay at home on 
tlieir farms every day in the year except when necessarily 
absent on business. 

Such farmers are careful and painstaking in everything 
they do. Whatever they do, they do it well, and never 
put off until to-morrow what ought to be done to-day. 
They generally have a profit from their years operations^ 
This they deposit in the banks and when a piece of prop- 
erty is to be sold at a bargain they are ready to buy 
and pay for it. 

These two classes of farmers present the question of 
waste and saving, on the farm. The first class named 
re]iresents great waste, and the second class Tcpresents 
saving on the farm. The first class ignores the fundamen- 
tal principles of all successful business, while the second 
class knows and practices these principles. 

I may add, we have a salubrious and healthy climate, 
generous and fertile soil, adapted to the gi'owth of a great 
variety of crops. Our transportation facilities are good, 



Waste on the Fakm. 2o1 

and our markets both for selling- and buying are excellent. 
Under sucli circumstances, and surrounded by such con- 
ditions, farming ought to be a remunerative occupation — 
much more so than past experience has shown. 

When we farmers learn more about our business, and 
concentrate our minds, energies and our ambitions more 
along the lines of agriculture, then we may expect much 
better results than we have heretofore obtained. 

Stupidity, igiiorance and idleness never yet made a suc- 
cess of any pursuit, avocation or calling, and never wilh 
Eliminate as far as possible such mill stones arouixl the 
business of farming, and we may hope to see a })rosperous 
connnunity of farmers wherever we may go. 

Smithonia, Ga., January 4, 1910. 



WHY A YOUNG MAN SHOULD CHOOSE FARM- 
ING FOR HIS OCCUPATION. 

BY HON. JAMES M. SMITH. 

There are many cogent reasons why a young man 
should engage in farming. It is better for him and bet- 
ter for the State, that he, in the morning of his life, 
should join that great army of our fellow citizens who in 
the past, have done so much, and are destined in the 
future, to do even more for the prosperity and happiness 
of all mankind. When he is young, strong and full of 
ambition, is the golden opportunity in his life to begin 
farming. Let him make up his mind to stick to farming, 
and hope and believe, through good as well as evil report, 
that in the end, his labors will be rewarded. Let him re- 
member that there is no royal road to success in any call- 
ing. Success in all avocations comes from the constant 
exercise of good "judgment, close application, hard study, 
fair dealing and an aptitude to learn, both through his own 
and the experience of others. Let him be economical and 
temperate in all things, and live inside of his income. 
Agriculture, as every one knows, is the pillar which holds 
up every other pursuit, avocation and profession. If every 
farmer should produce on his farm only enough to feed 
and clothe his family, with no surplus for sale, what 
would become of all those engaged in other pursuits ? 

While our commercial, industrial and manufacturing in- 
terests are important, yet they are small when compared 



Why a Young Max Should Choose Farming. 233 

to our vast agricultural interests. Young men of energy 
and brain are, everywhere, needed on the farm, and such 
men can safely count on. success in farming. Farming 
is the most honorable occupation under the sun. The 
farmer feeds and clothes the world. Farming is more in- 
dependent than any other occupation. The farmer comes 
and goes to his daily work at no man's bidding. His 
time is his own. He has refused to sell it for any con- 
isi deration. He has every oppolrtunity to exercise his 
brawn and brain. He is constantly confronted with prob- 
lems, in connection with his business, on the correct solu- 
tion of which depends his success or failure. 

When the mechanic lays down his tools, or the mer- 
chant his yard stick, his income stops. When the farmer 
lays aside his implements of husbandry, his crop continues 
to grow, his slumber is undisturbed, because he feels, when 
his day's work is done, he has added to the comfort and 
wealth of the world. In the true sense, he is the most 
important citizen of his country. 

If the farmer were estimated at his real and true value, 
he would take the first place. By his labor and the exer- 
cise of his brain, he gives additional value to every acre 
of land and to every tree that grows. He creates wealth. 
He not only causes two ears of corn to grow where only 
one grew before, but he causes two ears of corn to groAv 
where none grew before. He does not prosper by reason 
of other people's misfortunes. He stands on his own 
merits. Another man's loss is never his gain. If the 
.-peculator gains a dollar, another man loses a dollar. The 
farmer adds to the comfort and happiness of all mankind. 
So great a man as Dean Swift, long ago, pronounced him 



234 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

a puljlic benefactor, and worth more to his country than 
all the chronic office seekers and professional politicians 
who ever lived. 

It is true the farmer often makes other people rich, 
wliile he, himself, reiujains poor. It is to be hoped that the 
future, unlik(^ the past, will not witness so many instances 
of this kind. Unknown to fortune and to fame, the 
farmer lives and dies on his farm, yet the fruits of his 
labor build gi-eat cities, construct great railroads and whit- 
en tlie ocean with ships. Although he may not always ac- 
quire riches, yet he often possesses the proud consolation 
of seeing his sons become the rulers of his country, and 
his daughtei's the first ladies of the land. 

In times of war, he is the chief defender of his coun- 
try's rights. He was first at Manassas and last at Ap- 
pomattox. In times of peace he is the great conservative 
clciiiciit w'bic'b defeats at the ])()ll.s the anarchists oi' llie 
cities. 

Heretofore the famncrs have labored under many and 
great disadvantages. 

When the true history is written, as will be done by 
some future McOauly or Gibbon, and the whole truth is' 
recorded, as to the burdens which the farmers of the 
South, for the past forty years, have borne, and the fight 
they have made against such fearful odds, and the success 
which has crowned their efforts, it will excite the wonder 
and comjnand the admiration of all future generations. 
During this period, in addition to all of their other losses 
and crosses, vexations and disappointments, the speculators 
by see-sawing prices have cheated the farmers out of the 
just rewards of their labors. By falsehoods, fraud and 



236 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

deception as to tke condition of the growing crop, thay 
have depressed prices at a time when the farmers were 
obliged to sell in order to pay their honest debts. 

'While the farmer has been feeding and clothing the 
world, those whom he has been feeding and clothing, have 
often been his worst enemies. When cotton was selling 
below five cents, there was no reduction in the rate of 
interest which he had to pay, no scaling of the taxes, or 
lessening of the freight rates in his favor. In this criti- 
cal period of history there is no record on it, if he received 
any help. If this condition of affairs had continued, there 
would have been no encouragement for our young men to 
engage in farming. But a change and a change for the 
better has come. The farmers everywhere have made up 
their minds to control their own business and to look after 
their own interests better than they have ever done before. 
They have united and decided to hold the surplus prod- 
ucts of their farms until they can obtain remunerative 
prices. They are becoming more intelligent and are re- 
fusing to be "hewers of wood and drawers of water" for 
other people. They have learned that in farming there 
are two propositions to be considered ; one is to produce 
the crop to the best advantage, and the other is to sell it 
at a profit, or hold it till the world is obliged to have it. 

As time rolls on the farmers will become more and 
more intelligent and see more clearly thie wisdom of 
uniting and pulling together. 

Farming will become a more profitable occupation in 
the future than it has been in the past. Every year, as 
it comes and goes, will convince the farmers more and 
more of the necessity and wisdom of combining for their 



Why a Young Man Should Choose F!arming. 237 

own self-protection. Often, heretofore, when they have 
attempted to unite for their mutual good and protection, 
and for the good of the country, pretended friends have 
come among them, and by one scheme, subterfuge and 
another, divided them into factions and put them to fight- 
ing one another, and as a natural result they fell back in 
the same old rut. 

By all right-thinking people, labor on the farm or else- 
where is no longer considered degrading. Tlie farmers 
are rapidly getting into a position financially, politically 
and socially, where they can not only demand, but force 
proper irecognition of their rights. They have received 
so many kicks and cuffs, and have been the bottom dog in 
the fight so long, that some of them are yet believing that 
all the smart men live in the cities, or are engaged in pur- 
suits other than farming. While they believe they are 
as good as anybody else, yet some of them hesitate to as- 
sert it, and to act it out. While farming, in many respects, 
possesses elements of uncertainty, yet, taken as a whole, it 
is a safe and reliable business. 

The desire to get rich quick has ruined many a young- 
man and made a wreck of his whole life. Let our young- 
men remember that the future rulers of our country, es- 
pecially when emergencies arise, are not being reared in 
our great cities and towns, but are to-day living on farms, 
on which they have been born and reared. In times of 
great trial and peril to his country, the farmer boy comes 
from his rural home, often awkward, but brawny and 
brainy. When the storm reaches its greatest fury, he 
becomes the chief captain of the day. All past history 
records this. The towns and cities are constantly entic- 



238 Dickson's and Smith's Fakmfnu. 

iiig our country bovs away from the farms. By this 
means much harm is done to the country ; but they seem 
to be obliged to have them, because many of their own 
boys' grow up to be no good. The country boys often 
make great mistakes in leaving the farm. Let our young 
men remember that the most of our great and distinguished 
men have been born and reared on the farm. 

Every indicatign points to better times for the farmer. 
If our }'oung men will engage in farming, and continue in 
tliat occupation, it will mean a great deal for their good, 
and for the good of the country. Georgia is one (if the 
best farming States in the Union, if not the first. Kt- 
main in Georgia and remain on the farm, is wholesome 
advice. 

The future of Georgia is brighter than the future of 
almost any other State. It is true, some who have left 
Georgia and gone to other States, have done well, but 
these samie parties, if they had remained in Georgia, in 
all probability, would have done equally as well, if not 
l)ftter. There is always "moTe in the man than there is 
in the land." 

The past is gone, the future is before us. The mis- 
takes of the past if wisely considered, become lessons for 
flie future. Labor and brain centered in the same person 
are the forces which will sha]ie the destinies of our coun- 
try. Skill with the hand and the educated brain to direct 
it will develop every resource, and add new value to 
every element of our country. All that is objectionable in 
our old metJiods is passing away. ISTew methods, as fast 
as their utility and value can be demonstrated, are coming 
into use. Land is becoming too valuable to be cultivated 



240 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

in a slip-shod manner. Remember the old adage, ''Make 
the land rich and the land will make you rich." The 
Creator has promised "Seed time and harvest." 

The conclusion is : If a young man will engage in 
farming, and stick closely to his business through rain 
and sunshine, storm and drouth, use industry and economy, 
exercise good judgment, steer clear of bad habits', keep 
sober, act fairly and honestly with his fellow man, neither 
cheat or be cheated, control his passions and his prejudices, 
exercise patience and forbearance, dig deep for the truth, 
look and plan ahead, walk to-day in order that he may be 
able to ride to-morrow, always remember tliat "The diligent 
shall inherit the earth," do his duty in preparing, plant- 
ing, gathering and marketing his crops, success will surely 
crown his efforts, and when he dies he can be buried under 
"his own vine and fig tree." 

Smithonia, Ga., January 20, 1906. 



SO'ME OF JAMES M. SMITH'S WISE SAYINGS. 

1. The best way to manage labor is to fix the responsi- 
bility upon them. I tell every man, "]^ow I want you to 
go and do this thing in this way, and if it is successful you 
are entitled to the credit — and if you fail you are subject 
to censure." If this doesn't bring out the best that there 
is in a man — there is no best in him. 

2. There is always a point where the roads to success 
and failure fork. The only wise way is when a young 
man comes to this fork in the road, if he is not certain 
which road leads to success, is not to go any farther until 
he has consulted some one who has traveled the road and 
knows which prong leads to success and which to failure. 

3. It is one of the penalties God Almighty has put 
upon success — that you give personal attention to your 
business. 

4. I have lost more from incompetent labor than from 
all fires, storms and droughts — ^which have caused me to 
lose many thousands. 

5. If you can find a young man ambitious, sober, 
truthful and industrious, he will come out all right. 

6. A man who increases his knowledge has done a 
great deal for himself and toward his future success. 

7. My success has been largely due to my ability to 
control labor, my industry and to making wise invest- 
ments. 

8. Convict labor was in no wise essential to my suc- 
cess — they enabled me to rush on to my own injury. 

9. I had another turn of mind: I always observed 



242 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

closely and cauii'ht an idea here and there, made them my 
own. I learned to understand just what certain work 
would accomplish. 

10. We need more intelligence up(m the farm. T 
Avould not have succeeded so well had I not been pretty 
well educated to start with. I never had any more sense 
than I needed in my business. 

11. A great mistake the average farmer makes is that 
he will not learn from the experience of others nor seek 
advice in time. 

12. L?nd is becoming too valuable to be cultivated in 
a slip-shod manner. 

13. iSTo industrial, manufacturing or mercantile busi- 
ness can bear such waste as is usual on the farm without 
becoming speedily bankrupt. 

14. When the true history is written as to the burdens 
which the farmers of the South, for the past forty years, 
have borne, and the fight they have made against such- 
fearful odds, and the success which has' crowned their ef- 
forts, it will excite the admiration of all future genera- 
tions. 

15. The farmer often consoles himself in planting 
late that he has killed a good coat of grass, forgetting that 
he has also lost one good picking of cotton. 

16. Success in all avocations comes from the constant 
exercise of good judgment, close application, hard study, 
fair dealing and an aptitude to learn, both through his 
own and the experience of others. 

17. The farmer comes and goes to his work at no man's 
bidding; his time is his own. 

18. If a young farmer will stick closely to his business. 



Some of James M. Smith's Wise Sayings. 243 

control his passions and his prejudices, dig deep for the 
truth, success will surely crown his efforts. 

19. I have gTown with my business and it is about 
the only way one can keep tkings well in hand. 

20. I told my tenants, "If you wish to stay, you must 
be guided by my judgment; from now on things are go- 
ing as I say on this' place." 

21. I always believed in doing things well. 

22. Learn what is best to do at any given time; some 
things you can put off and some you can not. 



SOME FACTS OF Il^TEREST ABOUT FERTILI- 
ZER MATERIAL. 

1. How TO Calculate the Pek Cent, of Phosphoric 
Acid, IS^itbogen and Potash in a Gtiven Formula. 

We will give you the average percentage of the dif- 
ferent ingredients commonly used in making fertilizers. 

Acid phosphate contains' 14 to 16 per cent, of phosphoric 
acid. 

Cottonseed-meal contains 7 to 8 per cent, of nitrogen 
and 2 per cent, of potash. 

Muriate of potash contains 50 per cent, of potash. 

German kainit contains 12 to 13 per cent, of potash. 

Nitrate of soda contains 19 per cent, nitrogen. 

Sulphate of ammonia contains 19 to 20 per cent, nitro- 
gen. 

Sulphate of potash contains 50 per cent, of potash. 

Thomas phosphate or basic slag contains 19 per cent, 
phosphoric acid. 

Tankage contains 7 per cent, nitrogen and 6.5 per cent, 
phosphoric acid. 

.Dried blood contains 13 per cent, nitrogen equal to 16 
per cent, ammonia. 

Blood and bone contains 10 to 12 per cent, nitrogen and 
13 per cent, phosphoric acid. 

Cottonseed contains ammonia 3.80 per cent., phosphoric 
acid 1.27 per cent., and potash 1.77 per cent. 

Stable manure contains nitrogen in ton, 12 lbs., phos- 
phoric acid 5 lbs., and potash 11 lbs'. 



Some Facts About Fertilizers. 245 

Cow manure contains nitrogen in ton, 20 lbs., phosphoric 
acid 10 lbs., potash 25 lbs. 

Ashes contain 1 per cent, phosphoric acid and 5 per 
cent, potash. 

Land plaster contains 1.35 per cent, phosphoric acid, 
and potash 5.43 per cent. 

Oak leaves put in stables are worth $3.00 per ton. 

Straw as a fertilizer is worth $2.Y5 per ton. 

Muck dry contains nitrogen 1.02 per cent, and phos- 
phoric acid 23 per cent. 

ISTow suppose we take the common formula : 
1,000 lbs. 16 per cent, acid phosphate. 
600 lbs. cottonseed-meal. 
40O lbs. German kainit. 



2,000 lbs. 

Then we would have : 



iOOO X 16 = 1600 
600 X 7 = 4200 
400 X 12 = 4800 



2000 in a ton=:8% phosphoric acid. 
2000 in a ton = 2.10% nitrogen. 
2000 in a ton = .6% and 



600 X 2 = 1200^2000 in a ton = 2.4% 



3. % of potash, 
yielding an 8-2.10-3 goods. 

2. Illusteation of Method for Making Commercial 
Valuations of Mixed Fertilizing- Materials. 

Rule. Multiply the given per cent, of each constituent 
(nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash) by its list price, 
add the products and multiply the sum by 20. 

Example: What is the valuation of one ton of a com- 
mercial fertilizer having the following guarantee analysis ? 

Nitrogen 2 (to 3) per cent. 

Available phosphoric acid 8 (to 10) per cent. 

Potash 3 (to 5) per cent. 



246 Uickson's and Smith's Farming. 

In each case where a guarantee analysis gives two fig- 
ures, always use the lower, because the law takes only the 

lower guarantee into consideration. 

1 (per cent, nitrogen) X 18.5 cents (price of 1 lb- of nitro- 
gen) = 0.37 cents. 

2. (per cent. av. phosphoric acid) X 4 cents (price of 1 lb. av. 

phosphoric acid) =r 0.32 cents. 
3 (per cent, potash) X 5 cents (price of 1 lb. potash) =0.15 
cents. 

Total value of 100 pounds of fertilizer = 0.84 cents, or 
0.84 cents X 20 = $16.80 a ton. 

3. Trade Values of Fertilizing Ingredients in Raw 

Materials and Chemicals for 1905. 

Cents per lb. 

Nitrogen in ammonia salts 17.5 

Nitrogen in nitrates 17.0 

Organic nitrogen in dry and fine ground fish, meat, blood, 

and in high-grade mixed fertilizers 18-5 

Organic nitrogen in fine bone and tankage 18.0 

Organic nitrogen in coarse bone and tankage 13.0 

Phosphoric acid soluble in water 4.5 

Phosphoric acid soluble in ammonium citrate 4.0 

Phosphoric acid in fine ground fish, bone tankage and Pe- 
ruvian guano 4.0 

Phosphoric acid in cottonseed-meal, castor pumice and 

wood ashes 4.0 

Phosphoric acid in coarse fish, bone and tankage 3.0 

Phosphoric acid insoluble (in water and in neutral citrate 

of ammonia) in mixed fertilizers 2.0 

Potash as sulphate, free from chlorides 5-0 

Potash as muriate (chloride) 4.25 

Potash as carbonate 8.0 

Calculating the value of a ton of cottonseed-meal for 

fertilizer, we would have: 

2000 X 7 = 140 lbs. nitrogen at 17 cents = $25.80 
2000 X 2= 40 lbs. potash at 4 cents = 1.60 



Some Facts About Fertilizers. ^4 



4. Amount of FEUTiLizEiR Material Recmoved by 
Crops From the Soil. 
crop nitrogen phos. acid potash 

(1) WIHEAT: 30 bushels per acre. 
Grain 
Straw 



1840 lbs. 
4600 lbs. 


34 lbs. 
14 lbs. 


15 lbs. 
8 lbs. 


10 lbs. 
39 lbs. 


6440 lbs. 


48 lbs. 


23 lbs. 


49 lbs. 



Total 
(2) OATS: 50 bushels per acre. 





Grain 


160O lbs. 


34. lbs. 


13.50 


lbs. 


10. lbs. 




Straw 
Total 


4400 lbs. 


24.80 lbs. 


7.30 


lbs. 


50.40 lbs. 




6000 lbs. 


58.80 lbs. 


20.80 


lbs. 


60.40 lbs. 


(3) 


CORN: 
Grain 


50 bushels 
3000 lbs. 


per acre. 
54.6 lbs. 


21. 


lbs. 


12. lbs. 




Stover 


4000 lbs. 


41.6 lbs. 


11.6 


lbs. 


56 lbs. 




Total . 


7000 lbs. 


86.2 lbs. 


32.6 


lbs. 


68 lbs. 


(4) 


COTTON.: 
Lint 500 lbs. 


1.22 lbs. 


.30 


lbs. 


2.82 lbs. 




Seed 
Total 


1000 lbs. 


27.12 lbs. 


9. 


lbs. 


lu.25 lbs. 




1500 lbs. 


28.34 lbs. 


9.30 


lbs. 


13.07 lbs. 



5. The Analyses and Value of Cottonseed as Ma- 
nure OR Feetilizek. 

2,000 pounds cottonseed will yield: Pounds. 

Ammonia 76. 

Phosphoric acid 24.40 

Potash 22.410 

This will be worth as commercial value: 
76 X 17 =$13.92 
24.40 X 4.5 == 1.09 
22.40 X 4.25= .95 



Total $15.96 



EEETILIZER FORMULAS AND COMPOST MIX- 
TURES. 

Cliristmas is over — 1909 is gone and 1910 is here. It 
is time to begin planning and working for the coming crop. 
At this season the average Southern farmer begins to 
consider the fertilizer problems for the season, and to 
make his arrangements for his annual supply. Never did 
the farmers confront a year with just such conditions as 
now. Everything is on a tidal wave of high prices. High 
prices always stimulate production. We can not produce 
too much — if we will only practice the sound principles 
of diversified farming. But we can raise too much cotton 
— to secure a good price for it, if we plant an increased 
area over 1909. But we are to discuss fertilizers. The 
use of fertilizers has become one of the m'ost important 
factors in Southern agriculture. It is a powerful agency 
in producing an increased yield- — a thing we should all 
desire and work for. We certainly believe in the use of 
commercial fertilizers, but we also believe equally strong 
in the turning under of vegetable matter, the sowing of 
legumes, and the saving of all barn-yard manure. The 
up-to-date farmer will not consider one of these, but all 
four forms of increasing his crop yields. In considering 
commercial fertilizers, the farmer naturally wants the 
most for his money, or in other words, to get them as 
cheap as possible. To do this the farmers must get 
in position to pay cash for them. If you are able, pay the 
cash for your fertilizers. This is the only way they can 
bo obtained at the lowest prices. Then the next step is to 



Fertilizer Formulas and Compost Mixtures. 240 

buy the ingredients and do your own mixing. However, 
by getting together and buying in large quantities the 
ready-mixed goods can be obtained at reasonable prices. 
The farmer who does his home mixing generally uses 
the splendid and simple fonnula of acid, cottonseed-meal 
and kainit, but this year he is confronted with $32.00 per 
ton for cottonseed-meal. When one ingredient gets too 
high, many will and should seek some substitute. For 
meal we can use ''blood and bone," or tankage, and you 
will find some dealers advertising these in our columns. 
We can also supply the nitrogen needed by the use, of 
nitrate of soda. Some provident farmers can use stable 
m'anure. We will give you quite a list of formulas, and 
endeavor to arrange them as best adapted to the various 
staple and truck crops : 

For Corn and Cotton, 

1. Furman's Formula: 

Acid phosphate 350 lbs. 

Cottonseed 750 lbs. 

Kainit 150 lbs. 

Barn-yard manure 750 lbs. 



2000 lbs. 



2. State Chemist McCandless' Formula: 

Quick lime 150 lbs. 

Kainit 150 lbs. 

Acid phosphate, 14 per cent 250 lbs. 

Cottonseed-meal 200 lbs. 

Stable manure 1200 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 
Or the following: 



250 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 

3. Quick lime 100 lbs. 

Kainit 150 lbs. 

Acid phosphate 250 lbs. 

Cottonseed 40i0 lbs. 

Stable manure 1000 lbs. 



2000 lbs. 

4. Lipp's FoKMULA as Revised: 

Acid phosphate 200 lbs. 

Lime 200 lbs. 

Muriate potash 100 lbs. 

Nitrate soda 50 lbs. 

Salt 50 lbs. 

Sulphate ammonia 20 lbs. 

Stable manure 1380 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 

5. Lipp's Formula — The Original: 

Nitrate of soda 20 lbs. 

Muriate potash 55 I'bs. 

Chloride of Sodium 20 lbs. 

Sulphate of ammonia 10 lbs. 

Lime 95 lbs. 

Acid phosphate, 16 per cent 105 lbs. 

Stable manure or woods earth 1695 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 

Many have used this in south Georgia and are pleased 
with results. 

6. David Dickson's Formula: 

Peruvian guano 600 lbs. 

Dissolved bone 600 lbs. 

Common salt 600 lbs. 

Land plaster 200 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 

7. We would change this to the following: 

Peruvian guano 600 lbs. 

Dissolved bone (or blood and bone) 600 lbs. 

German kainit 400 lbs. 

Land piaster 400 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 



Fektilizee Formulas and Compost Mixtures. 251 

Cottonsee!d-Meal Goods. 
. High Grade: 

Acid phosphate, 16 per cent 1200 lbs. 

Cottonseed-meal 6'00 lbs. 

Muriate potash 200 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 

This would give you a 9.60 phosphoric acid, 2.10 am- 
monia, 5.65 potash. 
9. For a Low Grade: 

Acid phosphate, 14 per cent 1000 lbs. 

Cottonseed-meal 600 lbs. 

German kainit 400 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 
This would yield : Phosphoric acid, 7 per cent. ; am- 
monia, 2.10, potash, 3.10. 

10. On Cotton Lands Subject to Rust would use 

Acid phosphate 800 lbs. 

Cotton$eed-meal 60O lbs. 

German kainit 600 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 

This would yield: Phosphoric acid, 6.4 per cent., am- 
monia 2.10 per cent., and potash 4.2 per cent. 
This would also he a good formula for 

Corn and Wheat. 

Formulas Using Basic Slag of Thomas Phosphate, 
AND Blood and Bone. 

11. Basic slag, 19 per cent, phorphoric acid ...1000 lbs. 

Cottonseed-meal 600 lbs. 

German kainit 400 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 

This would yield ammonia, 2.1 per cent. ; phosphoric 
acid, 9.50 per cent. ; potash, 3 per cent. 



252 Dickson's and Smith's Farming. 



12. Blood and bone 1800 lbs. 

Muriate potash , 200 lbs. 



2000 lbs. 

Or this: 

Blood and bone 1600 lbs. 

German kainit 400 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 

Fob Truck Crops, 
13. For Cabbage, Omons anu Tomatoes would use: 

Nitrate soda 200 lbs. 

Cottonseed-meal 700 lbs. 

Acid phosphate 700 lbs. 

Muriate potash 300 lbs. 



20.00 lbs. 

This will yield you a 6-5-8. 

14. For Sweet Potatoes would use: 

Nitrate soda 100 lbs. 

Cottonseed-meal 500 lbs. 

Acid phosphate 1100 lbs. 

Muriate of potash 300 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 

This will give you a 3.5-8-8.3 goods. 

15. Canteloupes and Melons would use: 

Nitrate soda 300 lbs. 

Cottonseed-meal 600 lbs. 

Acil phosphate 800 lbs. 

Muriate potash 300 lbs. 



2000 lbs. 
This would yield 5.4 per cent, aimnonia, 7.2 per cent. 

phosphoric acid, and 8.10 per cent, potash. 

16. For Sugar Cane: 

Cottonseed-meal 600 lbs- 
Acid phosphate 200 lbs. 

Muriate potash 100 lbs. 



900 lbs. 



JFebtilizee Formulas and Compost Mixtuees. 253 

This is to be used on an acre. Cottonseed is good for 

cane, but stable manure is no good. 
17. For Rice: 

Nitrate soda 300 lbs. 

Acid phosptiate 900 lbs. 

German kainit 800 lbs. 

2000 lbs. 
Use from 400 to 600 pounds per acre on upland rice. 

The Kind of Commercial Fertilizers to Use and 
Some Rules to Go by : 

1. Sand J soil needs potasli in a higher degTee. 

2. Claj soil needs ammonia or nitrogen in a higher de- 
gi'ee. 

3. Ammonia or nitrogen makes the weed, so where jou 
want vigorous growth use it liberally. 

4. Acid phosphate and potash make the fruit, so where 
fruit is not in proportion to weed, use higher per cent, of 
these. 

5. The greater amount of vegetable matter you have 
upon your land the less nitrogen you need, and here acid 
with potash is sufficient for good results. 

6. As a rule the higher grades come cheapest in pro- 
portion to commercial value and it pays to buy them, 
specially if you plow deep and cultivate your crops' well, 

7. An 8-2-2 and 10-2-2 goods are considered standards ; 
but you can buy goods to suit almost any crop or condi- 
tions. As a rule we would prefer more potash. 

Some Information in Regard to Composting, 

Our country being new, the land fresh and cheap and 
the domestic animals being few, have all tended to cause 



254 DlCKSON^S AND SmITH^S I^ARMlNCf. 

our farmers to neglect this fundamental method of obtain- 
ing fertilizers for their crops'. But conditions are fast 
undergoing a change. Land is getting higher each year, 
and we farmers must learn to husband our every re- 
source and to make the most of them. Every farmer 
should have a small fertilizer factory of his own, and 
this should be his compost heap. Here all the waste — 
^vleeds, leaves, trash, coarse manure and droppings from 
liorses or cattle found outside the stables — should be gath- 
ered, put upon this pile, and then covered with a sprink- 
ling of lime, acid and kainit, every time as much as six 
to eight inches of matter is put upon the heap. This pile 
at the approach of spring would be worth about as much 
ton for ton as the fertilizer we buy. This compost heap 
should be covered. 

Many farmers are afraid of too much fermentation or 
"fire-fanging" as they term it. This can be managed 
with a little care; coarse material does not injure quickly — 
when packing so as to exclude too free a movement of the 
air lessens' the danger, then keep the material as you 
put it in damp, not too wet but moist, which will prevent 
any damage by "fire-fanging." 

In the old country muck is brought up from the bot- 
tom lands and used as a foundation for composting. Our 
labor conditions are not ripe for such a method here, 
but we can rake up all chip manure, leaves, straw, de- 
caying weeds and grass; all rubbish upon the premises, 
and say you had 4 tons of this then, by mixing it with 
600 pounds of lime, 800 pounds acid phosphate and 600 
pounds kainit, you would have 5 tons of good fertilizer. 

Two things we should stop — burning trash and allow- 



Fektilizeb Formulas and Compost Mixtures. 255 

ing manure to leach by exposure to the rains. Here is 
some pertinent material gathered from a work on com- 
posting : 

1. "The dung heap should be sheltered from sun or 
rain. The fermentation should be moderated by means of 
admixtures of loam or or some similar material. The heap 
should be kept moderately moist. Fresh dung should not 
be mixed with old. 100 pounds of dry matter eaten by an 
animal will produce 210 pounds of manure. A horse 
will produce 50 pounds of manure per day or &V2 tons 
per year. If well bedded with straw this will be worth 
$25.00 as fertilizer. It is a matter of long observation that 
if two or three loads of stable manure be mixed with a 
load of leaves or straw and allowed to ferment, the mix- 
ture will be as efficient load for load as the pure manure. 
Potash is a manure in itself and much better than soda 
for composting. Slacked lime mixed with weeds in pro- 
portion of 15 per cent, of lime to 85 per cent, of weeds 
will decompose the weeds in time for use in the spring." 

2. Prof. Johnson, of New Haven, took some jars, and 
made the following experiments: 

Weight of crop 
of corn in 
grains. 

1. Peat alone 14.20 

2. Peat and ashes 32.44 

3. Peat, ashes and carbonate of lime 38.44 

4. Peat, ashes and slacked lime 43.22 

5. Peat, ashes, lime and salt 46.42 

6. Peat, ashes and guano 53.78 



For Southern Farmers 



"Agriculture for the Common Schools" 

By I)r, James B. Hunnicutt 

New edition, 250 pages, 70 illustrations, best paper, printing and binding, 
postpaid, 55 cents. It teaches the fundamental principles of the science of 
agriculture in the forceful, succinct style for which Dr. Hunnicutt was so 
famous. Over 20,000 copies have been sold; tho' designed primarily for 
school use, it is also a book for the farmer. Valuable reference tables are 
included. 



* 'Southern Crops" 



Our subscribers having asked us to republish "J<"'urman's System of Farm- 
ing," the idea occurred to us to take Furman's plan on Cotton and Fow- 
ler's plan and also give account of the largest yield of cotton that has been 
made; then give the Williamson plan, Aldrich system and J. B. Hunni- 
cutt's system of growing Corn, with an ac<!Ount of how Drake made the 
world-record yield. Next we take up wheat, oats, hay, potatoes and 
legumes, winding up with the truck and garden crops. This makes the 
best and most complete book ever published on Southern crops. It is a 
compilation of the best in Southern agricultural literature for the past 
thirty years. Then it has the advantage of being written by practical 
farmers. No one man could have written such a work. It Is" written by 
some thirty orforty men, all experts in their line. Price -lO cents postpaid. 



"Ten Acres Enough" 



(Author Unknown) 

More than forty years ago, a book underthis title was published and proved 
very popular. But strange to say , it has been for some time out of print. 
Believing the work to contain much that is pertinent to present conditions 
in the South, we brought out this new edition, and have already sold over 
three thousand. 

The garden, truck and berry crops are treated especially. The book is uni- 
que in the minuteness of details; yet it is so interesting that it has been 
Btyled "The Romance of the Farm." 250 Pages. Illustrated. Price 50 
Cents, postpaid. 



THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR 

Published semi-monthly on the 1st and 15th of each month. For fi8 years 
it has been the Southern farmers best friend and standby. The only paper 
of its class in the South Atlantic and Gulf States. Not a seed-house or im- 
plement-house organ, no subscription schemes. We do not carry patent 
medicine or whiskey or fake or questionable advertising of any kind. De- 
partments pertaining to Horticulture, Poultry, Dairy, Live Stock, Etc., 
edited by able writers who are at the top in their respective lines. Write 
FOR Sampi^e Copy. 

N- B.— Any one of the above books free with one year's subscription 
to THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR at $1.00. 

The Cultivator Publishing Co. 

BOX 798. ATLANTA. GEORGIA. 



JUN 18 1910 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



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